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April 22nd, 2013 
NO decision has been made to house asylum-seeker families at the isolated Curtin detention centre in Western Australia, Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor says.
There are reports the federal government has plans to fence off a sector of the remote facility for families.
The detention centre 40 kilometres from Derby, houses single adult male asylum seekers since Labor reopened it in 2010.
Mr O’Connor did not rule out sending asylum seeker children to the detention centre.
“What we will do is make decisions about what’s the best way to look after those who are in our care,” he told ABC Radio on Monday.
“That decision will be made ensuring we protect the interests of those kids.”
Fences around the facility were appropriate and the standards “as good as anywhere in the world”.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Connor has defended the “enhanced screening process” that resulted in 38 asylum seekers being sent back to Sri Lanka from of a group of 66 who arrived in Geraldton by boat.
“The enhanced screening process is both rigorous and robust,” he said.
Mr O’Connor dismissed concerns from human rights advocates who claim they were denied legal assistance.
“Lawyers will always argue for greater levels of litigation.”
Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is appalled that Curtin is being considered to house children.
“We know that children shouldn’t be in detention, but remote, isolated detention centres are the last place they should be sent,” she said in a statement.
“One child in detention is too many, but 1000 children behind bars in Australian detention centres is an absolute disgrace.”
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