Asylum seekers battle – Keep Pontville open

Tasmanians have a week to convince Immigration Minister Chris Bowen to cop some political fallout and keep the Pontville Detention Centre open, Brighton Mayor Tony Foster says.

Mr Bowen guaranteed the detention centre would be open for only six months when he announced in April last year Tasmania was to play a small part in Australia’s asylum seekers’ processing system.

Cr Foster flew to Sydney last Thursday to appeal to Mr Bowen to keep the centre open.

And while the process to close the Pontville facility has started, Cr Foster said there was a small window of opportunity between a week and 10 days to reverse the decision.

“Things are already in train to close the centre by the end of February but we need to stop that train,” Cr Foster said.

“Mr Bowen is going to need a lot of convincing to renege on his initial pledge to close the centre after six months’ operation. It is an issue of integrity for the minister.

“But I have a gut feeling he would be prepared to take the political flak if the call from Tasmania is loud enough.”

Already 300 refugees have been granted permanent residency after waiting at Pontville for their claims to be processed.

Centre operator Serco employs 230 people 25 from the Brighton municipality and pays a monthly Tasmanian wage bill of $1.3 million.

Cr Foster said 95 per cent of the goods supplied to the centre come from businesses with a physical presence in Tasmania.

But Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz said Cr Foster should concentrate on fixing problems in his own local government area rather than meddling in federal politics.

Senator Abetz said there were nine primary healthcare professionals and nine mental health professionals working full time at the Pontville Detention Centre but no doctors for the ratepayers of Brighton.

“The centre should close,” Senator Abetz said.

“When you have charter flights costing $180,000 to fly just 35 detainees from the furthest northwest corner of Australia to the furthest southeast corner you know Australia’s border protection policies are failing.”

Petitions to keep the Pontville facility open are already circulating and Cr Foster said it was time for state and federal politicians to get on board.

“I have a duty to try and preserve those jobs,” he said.

“But I am only a mayor, it is time for our political leaders, from all sides, to be heard.”

If you support the campaign to keep Pontville open email Mayor Foster at Tony.Foster@brighton.tas.gov.au

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