Fed: Asylum seekers on Christmas Island receive payments
30 Apr 2009 12:18 AM
Figures have been released on how much it's costing to keep asylum seekers in detention on Christmas Island.
A family of four asylum seekers receives up to one thousand dollars a fortnight from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to support themselves.
DIAC spokesman SANDI LOGAN says adults in community detention are given 100 dollars cash and 360 dollars in store credit .. which can be used at one of two local stores a fortnight to buy food and other items.
A family of two adults and two children would receive 300 dollars cash and 766 dollars in store credit each fortnight .. and the money is administered by the Red Cross.
There are no figures available for the number of families on the island.
More than 200 people including 38 DIAC staff are on the island to support the centre.
