Fourteen child asylum seekers, along with fourteen adults, were transferred from the Port Augusta residential centre to a facility in Darwin on February 5. These asylum seekers, all from Vietnam, were given less than twenty-four hours notice of the move.

The Port Augusta centre is not a high security facility. It is set up to allow detainees to live in a somewhat domestic environment and have some degree of autonomy over their lives while remaining in detention. The detainees had formed relationships with members of the local community, most of whom they had no opportunity to contact during the move.

One of the children who was suddenly relocated is only fifteen years old and is solely responsible for her seven year old sister.

The Immigration Department should not have the power to move detainees on such short notice. The Australian government must ensure that detainees are given sufficient time to prepare before being transferred to a new facility.

Demand that the Australian government provide asylum seekers with appropriate notification of upcoming transfers.

We the undersigned believe that asylum seekers should be notified before they are transferred.

The February 5 transfer of fourteen child asylum seekers and fourteen adults from the Port Augusta residential centre to a Darwin facility was poorly handled. The detainees should have been given more than twenty-four hours to prepare for their transfer.

The detainees had formed relationships with members of the local community who they were unable to contact and inform of the move. They had built lives for themselves at the Port Augusta facility which they were abruptly forced to abandon.

Please provide asylum seekers with appropriate notification before future transfers.