House of Representatives Committees

| Joint Standing Committee on Migration

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Immigration detention in Australia: Community-based alternatives to detention

25 May 2009

View the report as a single document - (PDF 1792KB)

View the report as separate downloadable parts:


Preliminary Pages	(PDF 143KB)
Foreword Membership of the Committee Committee secretariat Terms of reference List of abbreviations

Chapter 1 Introduction	(PDF 164KB)
Background to this report Ministerial announcements First report: Criteria for release from detention This report: Community-based alternatives to detention Third report: Transparency, infrastructure and service provision The development of detention alternatives Assessing the range of detention alternatives Structure of the report

Chapter 2 Overview of alternatives to immigration detention centres	(PDF 305KB)
Alternative forms of detention in Australia Temporary alternative detention in the community Immigration transit accommodation Immigration residential housing Community detention Alternatives to detention in Australia – Bridging visas Conditions and restrictions Duration of bridging visas Bridging visa services and support programs Housing options for bridging visa holders Alternative accommodation options Hostel and collective accommodation Hosted stays in the community Financial sureties and reporting conditions Use in security bonds in Australia Use of bail and bond programs internationally Reporting conditions in Australia Use of reporting and electronic monitoring internationally Summary

Chapter 3 Appropriate support and accommodation in the community	(PDF 276KB)
Provision for basic needs Income support Permission to work Access to medical care Accommodation Availability and affordability Other issues with the private rental market Personal and family wellbeing Mental health issues and social isolation Children and families Support services Case management and referral services Staying in the Australian community Summary

Chapter 4 A robust and cost-effective approach	(PDF 254KB)
A robust immigration system Compliance with migration processes and decisions Transparency in decision-making Migration advice and assistance Voluntary return options Cost-effective detention alternatives Limitations in details of costings provided to the Committee Estimated costs of detention centres and detention alternatives Comparative costs of alternatives to detention Summary

Chapter 5 A coordinated framework for community-based alternatives to detention	(PDF 260KB)
Bridging visas – a community-based alternative to detention Transparency and integrity in our migration system Access to income, health care and housing Permission to work Community-based immigration housing Additional Committee comments Hosted stays in the community Ongoing role for alternative forms of detention

Additional comments by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells	(PDF 32KB)

Additional comments by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young	(PDF 102KB)

Minority Report by the Hon. Dr Sharman Stone MP	(PDF 56KB)

Dissenting Report by Mr Petro Georgiou MP	(PDF 104KB)

Appendix A: List of submissions to the inquiry	(PDF 55KB)

Appendix B: List of public hearings and inspections	(PDF 82KB)

Appendix C: The Committee’s first report of the inquiry into immigration detention in Australia	(PDF 83KB)

Appendix D: Overview of immigration detention population	(PDF 115KB)

Appendix E: Time line for immigration detention policy 1989–2009	(PDF 79KB)

Appendix F: Bridging visa conditions and entitlements	(PDF 62KB)