The Government has achieved another milestone in the ramping-down of Australia's onshore immigration detention network, with the closure of Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre.
The detention centre, located in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, has closed due to the success of Operation Sovereign Borders which has resulted in a dramatic reduction of people in held detention.
Blaxland Compound within the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre precinct in Sydney will also close in mid-2019 as a result of this success.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said the closure of Maribyrnong and Blaxland is another example of the Coalition Government cleaning up Labor's mess.
"Under the previous Labor Government, 50,000 people arrived on 800 boats, 1200 people tragically drowned at sea, and 8000 children were put in detention," Mr Coleman said.
"At its peak in July 2013, there were more than 10,000 people in held immigration detention facilities in Australia, including 2000 children.
"Labor was forced to open 17 detention centres to deal with the catastrophic failures of their policies.
"This Government has stopped the boats, got the children out of detention, and closed the once full immigration detention facilities."
Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre is one of 19 immigration detention facilities that have closed or been put into contingency since September 2013.
The decision to close these facilities has led to savings of more than $500m.
"These closures reflect the Government's ongoing success in maintaining strong borders," Mr Coleman said.
"Labor's commitment to abolish Temporary Protection Visas and effectively end offshore processing—two key pillars of Operation Sovereign Borders—will restart boat arrivals and see a return to the chaos and tragedy that occurred between 2007 and 2013."
"Labor cannot be trusted with border protection."