The Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has been advised that 12 people have gone missing from community detention in South Australia in the past two weeks.
It's believed at least 11 people went missing after Immigration officials revoked the residence determinations of two Vietnamese teenagers and transferred them to an alternative detention facility last week.
Another person is believed to have gone missing before the two teens were transferred.
In a statement, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the government was working to relocate the missing detainees.
“In the last two weeks the Minister has been advised of 12 persons missing from community detention in South Australia."
“Where an individual is reported missing by the detention service provider, the local South Australian Police station is notified for awareness and in the event individuals come to their attention."
“The department’s compliance section will continue to follow any leads regarding the location of the individuals and will re-detain if located.”
Police have confirmed that the youngest detainee is a 14-year-old who is understood to be missing with his father, and that siblings aged 15 and 18 are also missing.
Police officials have declined to be interviewed, but a written statement has been issued saying that all the cases have been assessed and there are no concerns for the safety or welfare of any of those missing.
Morrison put fear of god into missing asylum seekers: Hanson-Young
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has accused the Immigration Minister of “putting the fear of god” into the asylum seekers who fled after the two detainees were transferred.
Senator Hanson-Young said, as their legal guardian the Minister has a responsibility to keep the children safe, but is also the jailer who has caused them so much fear they’ve chosen to hide.
“It’s a total conflict of interest and it needs to be resolved," she said.
"The government needs to come clean with how much they know about the whereabouts of these children, what they are actually doing to help look after them, and what responsibility the Minister takes for the fact that they are missing in the first place”.
In a statement, the Department of Immigration said, “The Minister has continued the practice of previous Ministers in exercising (guardianship) responsibilities.”
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