The Australian Border Force removed about 30 detainees from the Maribyrnong Detention Centre in a raid early on Friday that a witness described as "brutal and intimidating".

A refugee advocate speculated the raid was undertaken to make way for any visa defaulters nabbed in the Melbourne CBD in the infamously cancelled Operation Fortitude.

But that claim was emphatically denied by an Immigration Department spokesman who said the operation was a routine search for unauthorised and illicit contraband.

"The Department can confirm a number of detainees were recently transferred within the detention network, as part of a pre-planned move," said the spokesman.

"The searches conducted at the MIDC on Friday were not linked to the transfers. For operational and security reasons we cannot comment further."

According to one source, a team of up to 70 officers from the ABF, its dog squad and Serco Emergency Response Team swooped on the centre at 2.30am.

They are believed to have woken the detainees, handcuffed them and put them on buses bound for chartered flights.
The men, some of whom are asylum seekers, were then taken to an undisclosed location.

Fairfax Media understands they were en route to Yongah Hill Detention Centre, north-east of Perth, and Christmas Island Detention Centre.
The ABF officers and Serco ERT team then continued to search each of the remaining 90 detainees –including 10 women – and their rooms until 5.30pm on Friday.

The source, who did not want to be named, said there were "distressing scenes" at the centre, with the men "screaming" while being forcibly removed.
The detainees were "terrified" of being taken to Christmas Island as they would be cut off from their friends and family, he said.
"There is an atmosphere of fear and intimidation at the centre now," he said.
"One of the detainees said 'we are treated like dogs'."

On the Beach (where I hope to be soon)

It is worth noting that one does not need to be a citizen to work here lawfully. For example, "Permanent Residents" have the same set of rights as citizens except they cannot vote.

I think that there is still some sort of working holiday visa and of course the specialist worker visas.

...

Thereafter, the right demands a solution to the existing and allegedly growing pool of those who have in some shape or form contravened their visa conditions, if I do not misunderstand?

That, in and of itself, is not an unreasonable demand. But, the question is how to do this, is it not, and herein we find the point of contention from the two opposing poles of the political divide.

..

*NOTE*

The game of politics in and of itself is such that when it comes to swaying the general public disposition this way or that that it seems quite plain that both sides can be accused from time to time of not letting facts get in the way of a good story.

..

So, we can of course look to what is currently being done to identify and apprehend those who have contravened their visa conditions.

One way of course is that when a person attempts to secure employment, the employer has to ensure that the applicants papers are in order. My wife, who graduated more than a year a go and who now is in full time employment did at all times when applying for positions have to provide a great ream of identity and other documents, including her passport and residency papers. The same goes for the education facilities.

Thus, to my way of thinking, when employers are found to be derelict in their duty in this regard (and especially if they are also ripping off or otherwise exploiting their workers) they need to be punished to the extent that few of them anymore are so stupid as to give any serious consideration to doing the wrong thing.

Joe,

"So if somebody is stopped, and simply says, I'm a citizen, bugger off, what could any 'Gestapo' do ? Except, of course, bugger off."

Offensive language, refusing to comply with a lawful request, how's that for starters?

Of course neither would stick but proving one's innocence takes time and money, whereas the prosecution is done at the taxpayers' expense

Hi Paul,

Well, you did answer your own leading question in the affirmative:

'Many think giving up a few liberties is a small price to pay for guaranteed security. How far are some of us prepared to go with this? All the way!'

Dream On,

As far as I can understand you, am I correct in assuming that your wife conducts job interviews on the street ?

To repeat, for those disinclined to think, and as another intelligent poster has pointed out above, seemingly to no avail: if you walk around without any papers, no copper can touch you: you just say you're a citizen, and that would be that.

This whole children's story was never going to get off the ground. Try to think of the consequences. You might as well get all indignant about somebody talking about Green Eggs and Ham.

Cheers,

Joe

Hi Is Mise,

Hypothetically, perhaps Mr Andrews' state police might ping you for offensive language (Labor Party members are notorious for their linguistic delicacies), but I don't think the Border Force people would have those sorts of powers. Paul would be relieved.

Joe

Posted by Loudmouth, Wednesday, 2 September 2015 12:42:06 PM

" ... As far as I can understand you, am I correct in assuming that your wife conducts job interviews on the street ? ... "

Yeah Joe, I think you have failed to comprehend what I said and might like to have another look.

" ... To repeat, for those disinclined to think, and as another intelligent poster has pointed out above, seemingly to no avail: if you walk around without any papers, no copper can touch you: you just say you're a citizen, and that would be that. ... "

Joe, what you have written here mate is completely incorrect. If an officer of the law requests you identify yourself, then that is what the law requires and to refuse is an arrestable offense. What the individual has to do is state their identity, and then the officer will run you through the now far larger guvment data base and draw his/her own conclusion.