Refugees in PNG say new deal puts their safety at risk

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Australian government helped Papua New Guinea draft new arrangements for refugees in the Pacific country; despite saying it has no ongoing role in their management.

Transcript

00:00Nabi Hayati has just welcomed his fourth child into the world, but life in Port Moresby is

00:08uncertain for the Afghan refugee and his family.

00:15I am not worried about myself, I am concerned about the future of my children.

00:19Nabi was previously detained at the Australian-run detention centre on Manus Island, which was

00:25found to be illegal and forcibly closed in 2017.

00:29Around 40 refugees remain in Port Moresby, now under the care of the PNG government.

00:36But in December they were told they'd be stripped of their accommodation and medical care in

00:40exchange for a fortnightly living allowance.

00:43Nabi refused to accept the new conditions.

00:48When they told us to sign the papers, they said you will be on your own, you will go

00:52live in the settlement or pay for your own accommodation.

00:55For Nurul Islam's family of four, the allowance amounts to $500 per week, which he says isn't

01:01enough.

01:02Medical, that's the accommodation and also the food and also rent house, everything.

01:11Green Senator David Shoebridge met the refugees last year to discuss the new arrangements.

01:17They can't get secure accommodation for that and PNG and Port Moresby is one of the most

01:22dangerous cities on the planet.

01:24For now, Nurul, Nabi and other refugees are living in this motel for free, but they've

01:29been told the accommodation is temporary and eventually they'll have to find and pay for

01:34their own homes.

01:36Nurul's daughters are already missing out on schooling because the family can't afford

01:41fees.

01:42It's been maybe a few years, it's been a while I went to school and really miss school.

01:49The PNG government hasn't responded to the ABC's request for comment.

01:53In a statement, the Australian Home Affairs Department said it doesn't have any role in

01:58managing the refugees.

02:01Has the government committed any further funding?

02:03But in Senate estimates, the government admitted to helping PNG draft the new arrangements.

02:09Arrangements which have left refugees like Nurul facing an even more uncertain future.

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