Woomera, South Australia and Woomera was chosen as a site for such a facility. The establishment of the Woomera Immigration Detention Centre in 1999, through the refurbishment of the original Woomera Village construction camp at 'Woomera West', eventually brought in new permanent staff (as the Nurrungar people were leaving) to settle and maintain the village population at around 1,200. The immigration detention centre, however, proved to be a highly controversial facility and it closed in early 2003 after only about 36 months of operation, at which point the land and buildings were handed back to the Defence Department. Following the closure of the
Immigrant health in Australia this regard, it has been argued that it is necessary for immigrants to be immunised to ensure the health and safety of fellow Australians. Nevertheless, there is a competing principle to afford every immigrant and Australian citizen an equal opportunity to uphold their cultural beliefs. In this regard, some have questioned the Australian government's right to strip these refugees and asylum seekers of their cultural beliefs and understandings in regards to their health. In 1992, mandatory detention was introduced for refugees and asylum seekers entering Australia illegally. However, the introduction of mandatory detention has triggered debate. The importance of protecting