A Chinese asylum seeker, allowed to stay with his family while asbestos removal work was carried out at the Villawood detention centre, has reportedly been taken to hospital after attempting self harm.
The man has been in detention for almost six years and refused to return to the centre in Sydney after spending a week with his wife and teenage daughter.
A refugee advocate says the family applied for community detention last July, but still hasn't heard from the immigration department.
The department has declined to discuss the case because of privacy concerns.