Australia to Pay Nauru for Resettling Non-Citizen Criminals
Melbourne, Sep 1 (AP) — Australia has reached an agreement with the Pacific island nation of Nauru to resettle foreign-born criminals who cannot be held indefinitely in immigration detention, as per a court ruling. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday.
This decision follows Australia's High Court ruling in 2023, which stated that non-citizens with no prospects of resettlement outside Australia cannot be kept in detention indefinitely. While media reports suggest that Australia will pay Nauru AUD 400 million (USD 262 million) initially and AUD 70 million (USD 46 million) annually, Albanese did not confirm these figures.
"Those who have no right to remain in Australia must find somewhere else to go, especially if they cannot be returned to their country of origin due to refoulement obligations," Albanese stated on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke visited Nauru and signed a memorandum of understanding with Nauruan President David Adeang, signaling an unexpected development in this arrangement. President Adeang confirmed that the agreement outlines the proper treatment and long-term residence in Nauru for individuals lacking legal residency rights in Australia. Australia will finance this plan while aiding Nauru's economic stability.
The arrangement will begin once Nauru receives its first "transferees," with plans to issue long-term visas. Reports from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre indicate that Nauru intends to provide 280 visas to non-citizens designated for deportation by Australia.
Controversially, a proposed law set for introduction in Australia's Parliament could restrict appeals related to deportation decisions under this new agreement, potentially impacting up to 80,000 people. Jana Favero, deputy chief executive of the centre, expressed concern, highlighting the significant number of lives affected as contrary to government claims.
Albanese affirmed that full details of the agreement will be released jointly by both governments, acknowledging the complexities involved, including the number of individuals affected.
This decision originates from a 2023 High Court judgment that overturned the indefinite detention of immigrants failing Australia's character test, primarily due to criminal activity, given their ineligibility for deportation.
Repatriation challenges exist with countries deemed unsafe, such as Afghanistan, and others like Iran that refuse involuntary returns. The case of NZYQ, a Rohingya minority member from Myanmar, exemplifies the context, having arrived in Australia via human trafficking, committed a severe crime, served a sentence, and been held in indefinite detention until his legal victory.
Following the NZYQ ruling, over 200 immigrants have been released from detention; however, some have re-offended. In a related development, Burke previously announced in February that three violent criminals, including a murderer, have been issued 30-year visas for Nauru, though these actions are facing legal challenges in Australia.
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)