In a recording sent to Fairfax Media, a Papua New Guinea immigration official told asylum seekers held at Manus Island that the regional processing centre would be closed by 31 October. Refugees have been given the option to live temporarily at the East Lorengau camp while they wait for resettlement in the USA or to be permanently resettled in PNG. Immigration minister Peter Dutton reiterated that no asylum seekers would be resettled in Australia.
According to an Amnesty International briefing, there was digital verification this week of bullets being fired directly into the Manus Island regional processing centre on 14 April. While the Australian Government has not conducted an investigation into the incident, the PNG Police and PNG Defence Force have launched separate investigations.
In a new budget measure, the government will cut off income support and rental assistance from asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia by boat since 2012 and not lodged visa applications. The 90 days given to these asylum seekers in January to lodge their applications has run out and those who have not applied are set to lose their support.