In recognition that detention centres needed to expand rapidly, the expenditure review committee agreed in May to “long-term funding” for the immigration detention centres. The cabinet papers show the Howard government united on preferring private sector management and that it explored the idea of successful refugees repaying part of the costs of their detention. The idea of “a risk management approach”, instead of detention, was rejected.
Cabinet papers reveal how seeds of Australia’s divisive seeker boats policy were sown in 2000