The centre was scheduled to be open for six months and is due to close next month but refugee advocates, church leaders, unions and some mental health groups have joined Cr Foster to lobby the federal government to keep the centre open on humanitarian and economic grounds.

Premier Lara Giddings will also write to Immigration Minister Chris Bowen this week, urging him to extend the life of the Pontville centre.

``This may be what we needed to sway the Minister,'' Cr Foster said.

He said an online petition had received more than 500 signatures by midday yesterday.

State Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne said that while there had been concern in the Brighton community about the centre before it opened, it was now widely supported and appreciated.

He said the centre was leading the nation in its management and had created the equivalent of about 230 full-time jobs.

It was also strongly supporting businesses in the Brighton area.

Mr O'Byrne said there would come a time when it would be appropriate to close the centre or modify its role, but this time had not yet come.

Cr Foster said an asylum seeker support group had about 600 people registered as volunteers at the centre.

``Over 80 a week go in there and give support to the detainees - that doesn't happen anywhere else in Australia and it's one of the reasons we're asking the Minister just on humanitarian grounds alone to keep it open.

``Unfortunately (Mr Bowen) has that integrity issue he has got to deal with; he made that statement and in federal politics today it's a little bit difficult for the government to turn around and break another promise.''

A spokeswoman for Mr Bowen said his position had not changed and while the Minister welcomed the positive feedback, he still intended to close the centre at the end of the six months.