It’s time to go……kids!

The pitter and patter of small feet may now be absent from Detention Centres since the 29^th July but their removal was not a victory for the refugee movement. Children and their families were released to community detention but where to and more importantly under what conditions? These questions are not explained in our PMs press release on the matter. The government might be paying for their rent (unfortunately not happening- Oct 05 ) which is a much cheaper alternative to high costs paid to Global Solutions Limited who run the detention centres. Now we could all do with a bit of rent assistance in this expensive city but Bridging Visa E forbids parents to work to cover other extravagant expenses such as eating. These current community detention arrangements in the burbs may also be a temporary measure. The government is busy planning and building a Residential Housing Proeject, a new housing estate right next door to the existing detention centre in Villawood. It might be every Aussies’ dream to build a new home but these new homes are a nightmare. From the initial plans security looks similar to the big brother compound on the gold coast. A large locked fence will surround the entire complex complete with guards on every corner. Maybe the government should make an Asylum Seeker edition of Big Brother to recoup the costs and we could call in to evict our favourite detainees! The barbed wire may be slowly disappearing from view but it is still sharply embedded in government policy and behaviour.