Asylum Seekers

Mr Fletcher asked the Attorney-General, in writing, on 11 September 2012, the following question.

By (a) nationality, (b) location of prison, and (c) position/rank, what number of crew of asylum seeker boats is held in Australian prisons, and how many of these detainees have been convicted.

Ms Roxon: The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

I am advised that there are 204 sentenced people smuggling crew in Australian prisons (as at 26 September 2012) and a further 29 people smuggling crew being held on remand in Australian prisons (as at 28 September 2012).

(a) Nationality of crew

(i) Of the 204 crew serving sentences in Australian prisons as at 26 September 2012:

191 are Indonesian

1 is Iraqi

2 are Sri Lankan, and

10 are of unknown nationality.

(ii) All of the 29 people smuggling crew being held on remand in Australian prisons as at 28 September 2012 are Indonesian nationals.

(b) Location of prison

(i) The locations of the 204 sentenced people smuggling crew in Australian prisons as at 26 September 2012 are as follows:

thirty-six prisoners are in New South Wales:

2 in Broken Hill Correctional Centre

14 in Cessnock Correctional Centre

1 in Dawn de Loas Correctional Centre, Silverwater

1 in Emu Plains Correctional Centre

1 in Metropolitan Special Programs Centre, Malabar

15 in Muswellbrook Correctional Centre

1 in South Coast Corrections Centre, and

1 in Wellington Correctional Centre

thirty-seven prisoners are in the Northern Territory, all of which are in Darwin Correctional Centre

thirty-nine prisoners are in Queensland

3 in Brisbane Correctional Centre

6 in Southern Queensland Correctional Centre, and

30 in Woodford Correctional Centre

one prisoner is in South Australia, in Yatala Labour Prison

one prisoner is in Victoria, in Port Phillip Prison

ninety prisoners are in Western Australia:

2 in Acacia Prison

25 in Albany Regional Prison

7 in Broome Regional Prison

13 in Eastern Goldfields Prison

3 in Freedom Prison

1 in Hakea Prison

38 in Pardelup Prison Farm, and

1 in Wooroloo Prison Farm.

(ii) The locations of the 29 people smuggling crew being held on remand in Australian prisons as at 28 September 2012 are as follows:

9 are in New South Wales

2 are in Victoria

9 are in Queensland

4 are in Western Australia, and

5 are in the Australian Capital Territory.

(c) Position/rank of crew

(i) Information on the position or rank of people smuggling crew serving sentences in Australian prisons is not readily ascertainable. These offenders are recorded according to the people smuggling offence for which they were convicted.

(ii) Of the 29 people smuggling crew on remand in Australian prisons as at 28 September 2012, sixteen are understood to be captains and thirteen are understood to be crew.