Nauru to take non-citizen NZYQ cohort freed from immigration detention

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Nauru has agreed to resettle three immigration detainees who were among the group released into the community after a successful high court challenge in 2023. The trio which includes one murderer is now back in detention waiting to be sent to the pacific island to live freely.

Transcript

00:00It's the decision which set free hundreds of immigration detainees.

00:08The High Court overturned a 20-year precedent when it ruled the indefinite detention of

00:13non-citizens who couldn't go back to their home country was unlawful.

00:18It later thwarted efforts to force them to wear ankle bracelets and abide by a curfew.

00:24Now Nauru has agreed to accept an initial three for 30 years after the government passed

00:30laws to pay third countries to do so.

00:33They will be put on a plane and sent to Nauru as soon as arrangements are able to be made.

00:40That will not be within the next seven days, but it will be as soon as possible.

00:45The Minister says the Nauruan government expressed its interest while the bill was before Parliament.

00:51But Tony Burke wouldn't reveal what Australia has offered in return, simply confirming

00:56there is a cost.

00:58I'm sure the transaction is for a very substantial amount of money because it is highly likely

01:04these individuals will probably spend the rest of their lives on Nauru.

01:08More members of the cohort could yet be packing their bags.

01:12Nauru have described these three visas as the first three and that's how it should be seen.

01:20We're happy to have a look at arrangements that the government's put in place.

01:24What started as a response to a High Court decision may end up back here to test the

01:29legality of forcibly removing these people to a third country.

01:34But in not putting the trio on a plane straight away, the government may avoid facing an imminent

01:39legal challenge as it prepares for an election.

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