The Albanese government has reached a new funding agreement with Papua New Guinea (PNG) to support asylum seekers, following threats from PNG to send them back to Australia unless a fresh deal was signed. This move comes after the Morrison government’s secret December 2021 arrangement to keep around 75 refugees and asylum seekers in Port Moresby post the closure of the Manus Island regional processing centre. When the initial funding was exhausted within the first six months, PNG’s then chief migration officer, Stanis Hulahau, accused Australia of abandonment and threatened to shut the program and return the refugees to Australia. Historically, Australia has maintained that it holds no responsibility for the welfare of these asylum seekers and refugees, most of whom were sent to PNG in 2013 and 2014. New government regulations tabled on Tuesday reveal that Australia will now provide "further capability support and funding" to PNG. This support aims to assist PNG in managing and resolving the remaining caseload of people transferred before January 1, 2022. According to the explanatory statement, PNG is developing a sustainable settlement framework to integrate these individuals into the PNG community, either permanently or temporarily, pending other migration outcomes.
The financial details of both the original and new deals remain confidential, with the government citing potential "significant damage" to the Australia-PNG bilateral relationship as the reason for non-disclosure. Both agreements require PNG not to send refugees and asylum seekers back to danger. The funding is sourced from the Department of Home Affairs’ budget for offshore management of unauthorised maritime arrivals, which was $477.7 million for 2023-24. An explanatory statement noted that "further support to PNG will be provided under a variation to the independent management arrangement." It also mentioned that extensive consultations have already taken place between Australia and PNG, with additional discussions to occur before a home affairs official signs the new deal. A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Minister, Clare O’Neil, confirmed that the details of the support remain confidential, as they were under the previous government. O’Neil visited PNG in mid-June as part of a ministerial delegation. The refugees and asylum seekers benefiting from this deal were previously detained at Australia’s Manus Island detention centre, which was ruled unlawful by PNG’s Supreme Court in 2016. Approximately 70 refugees and asylum seekers remain in PNG, many facing eviction due to unpaid accommodation bills since 2022. Port Moresby’s Pacific International Hospital claims it is owed nearly $40 million, while other service providers, including security firms and motels, are owed between $6 million and $8 million each. During Senate estimates in May, home affairs officials described the original deal as a "finite, confidential agreement with PNG to help support their transition to full, independent management." Home Affairs Departmental Secretary, Stephanie Foster, confirmed ongoing discussions with PNG to address their challenges and needs but denied that PNG had made any "claim" against Australia. Greens’ immigration spokesperson, David Shoebridge, criticized the secrecy surrounding the deal, accusing Labor of providing an undisclosed amount of public funds to PNG to hold refugees who sought asylum in Australia over a decade ago. "Let’s make this very clear, the only reason the government provided this funding is because PNG rightfully sees this whole arrangement as condescending and unfair ... and refugees are in a life-or-death situation," Shoebridge told Guardian Australia. He argued that the government’s appropriate response should be to bring the refugees to Australia and provide them with the necessary care. Also read Comments are closed.
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