I can’t believe that just a minute after my last post I find this report via Google News about the state of Villawood detention center.

A WOMAN held at the nation’s second-biggest immigration detention centre was allegedly raped repeatedly in front of her toddler because she could not lock the door to her room.

The claim — and reports of widespread drug abuse among detainees — will be at the centre of an investigation ordered by the Immigration Department into the privately run Villawood centre in western Sydney.

The Weekend Australian has learned the probe will investigate claims women have been sexually assaulted by guards and male detainees. It will also examine the availability of illicit drugs in the detention centre, and has already heard evidence that detainees in the high-security area have been seen shooting up and claim to be able to access speed, ice, heroin, morphine and marijuana.

The BBC is reporting on the current immigration fiasco over the wrongful detention of people – so it now appears that in addition to the almost 30 Australian citizens affected:

Two hundred foreigners were also wrongfully detained by the immigration department in the same period and the cases are now being investigated.

In February this year I wrote:

Once is a mistake (a severe & tragic one at that), twice is carelessness, but three?

How many more cases like this are there ?

Well it seems we finally have the answer.

26

That’s right – the Australian Government hasn’t just managed to lock up one of its own nationals as an illegal immigrant by mistake once, twice or three times (not to mention wrongfully deporting someone), it’s actually managed to do it an extra 26 times in the last 10 years.

Mr Georganas says the reply last week from the Attorney-General and former immigration minister Philip Ruddock confirmed most cases have been settled out of court.

“They have told us they’ve paid in excess of $800,000 for out of court settlements,” he said.