Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said five detainees sustained minor lacerations and injuries “as a result of their interaction with the police and their refusal to comply with directions”.
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“The guys who have been caught up in the rioting and may have participated in the rioting have done so because they’ve been put under great duress”, she said.
Detainees have complained about their treatment at the facility, which now houses 203 men, including asylum seekers awaiting processing and non-citizens being deported because they have criminal convictions.
The department spokesman said detainees could use fixed-line phones at the detention centre and that a hotline had been set-up for family members concerned about their welfare.
Iranian-Kurdish refugee Fazal Chegeni … his body found at the base of a cliff.
Immigration authorities, however, denied in a written statement reports of a large scale “riot” and said on Monday that the “perimeter of the center remains secure with regular patrols”.
“The figure that I was advised of yesterday and that again they’re still doing the assessment, the figure is closer to $10 million worth of damage”, Mr Dutton said.
The immigration department initially estimated the damage bill at about $A1m but now says it was closer to $A10m.
“Food, fluid and medical support continues to be provided”.
A New Zealand politician, Kelvin Davis, recently visited the island and said New Zealanders who were held at the facility had told him that detainees had taken over the centre.
The department admitted a few force was used on a core group of detainees who had built barricades and used improved weapons against authorities. He also confirmed that more detainees who have been a part of the riot will be moved from the island.
A few common places look badly damaged, it included, but said order was restored “mainly through dialogue and cooperation with detainees”.
Mr Chegeni had broken out of the facility on Saturday.
“If people have caused damage to Commonwealth property, they will be investigated and prosecuted in relation to those matters”, Dutton told parliament.
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“There will be a coronial inquiry into exactly what happened in regard to the death of the individual The immigration minister is saying no suspicious circumstances in relation to that death”.
