[5] The department also ran the Woomera Immigration Reception and Processing Centre, an Australian immigration detention facility near the village of Woomera in South Australia through contract with Australasian Correctional Management (ACM), a subsidiary of Wackenhut Security Corporation.
ACM was criticised over various practices, including failing to staff the centre adequately, and concealing evidence of child abuse.
The detention centre was the site of riots, hunger strikes, and lip-sewing, which included children.
[6] The department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the minister for immigration and multicultural affairs and Indigenous affairs, Philip Ruddock (until 2003) and then Amanda Vanstone.
[1][7] Farmer was replaced by Andrew Metcalfe in July 2005, after publicly stating that the department would benefit from vigorous organisational review and major cultural change, led by a new secretary.