Christmas Island Administrator reappointed

The federal government's representative on Christmas Island, which holds a key asylum seeker detention centre, has been reappointed for another year.

The federal government's representative on Christmas Island, which holds a key asylum seeker detention centre, has been reappointed for another year.

Brian Lacy, a prominent lawyer, was first appointed as administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in late 2009. Regional Australian Minister Simon Crean said Mr Lacy had become well-known and respected on the islands.

"The Indian Ocean territories are experiencing a period of rapid economic, social and environmental change and Mr Lacy will make valuable contributions to the long term prosperity of the region," Mr Crean said in a statement on Tuesday.

Christmas Island is currently used to detain more than 900 asylum seekers awaiting processing.

The administrator's original brief was to boost economic sustainability and promote social cohesion.

Mr Lacy will continue as administrator of the territories until October 4, 2012. Before 2009, the Indian Ocean territories had been without a commonwealth administrator for 18 months.