SA: Villawood detainees to be moved after asbestos find

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2006
SA: Villawood detainees to be moved after asbestos find

ADELAIDE, April 10 AAP - All detainees at Sydney's Villawood immigration detention
centre will be relocated tomorrow after asbestos was found at the site.

The relocation coincides with a protest expected to be held at the centre over the
Easter weekend.

Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said detainees would not (not) have been exposed
to the asbestos, which was found in a buffer zone around the detention facility.

However, NSW Police could be at risk if weekend protesters went into the buffer zone
and had to be pursued by officers.

Relocating the detainees would minimise such risks, Senator Vanstone said.

"While our expert advice is that the asbestos is of low risk, we are relocating detainees
as a precautionary measure that will ensure there is no risk to the safety or health of
staff, detainees, visitors, police or local residents," she said.

Senator Vanstone said detainees would be moved to detention and correctional facilities
in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Detainees would be returned to Villawood after the completion of remediation work,
which is expected to take about two weeks.

AAP la/rr/jnb/tnf

KEYWORD: VILLAWOOD

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