Fifty-four men, refugees currently on Manus Island and Nauru are to be permanently resettled in the United States, as part of the Australian government’s deal with the United States struck in November 2016. The refugees on Manus Island, who come from Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, are expected to fly to the United States this week.
More than 2000 people remain in Manus Island and Nauru and 1783 of those have been found to be refugees. In both islands, refugees who applied for resettlement in the United States remain uncertain of their prospects. Daily protests are continuing on Manus Island.
Liberal MP, Russell Broadbent, has publicly criticised the government’s asylum seeker policies. Mr Broadbent delivered a critical assessment of successive governments' detention of refugees offshore, predicting an imminent ‘tipping point’ in what the public would accept.
The Australian government has faced criticism over settlement packages offering thousands of dollars to Rohingya refugees in offshore detention centres as inducements to return to Myanmar. Guardian Australia reported that up to seven Rohingya return to Myanmar from Manus Island.
Australia has been urged to pressure Cambodia, a regional refugee resettlement partner, to halt the ‘imminent return’ of 29 Montagnard refugees to Vietnam where they could face persecution. The Montagnards are part of the hundreds that fled Vietnam in 2014 and 2015.
An asylum seeker will stand trial at the County Court of Victoria after he allegedly set fire to a Melbourne bank.