IMMIGRATION Minister Peter Dutton has been left with egg on his face after he struggled to answer a question about the fate of about 900 asylum seekers on Manus Island.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It’s not a good look for Australia.
More than half of the men left in limbo have been assessed as genuine refugees.
These people have been through hell and they don’t deserved to be treated like this.
Mr Dutton told Today on Thursday: “We’ve been anticipating the Supreme Court decision in PNG and we’ve been planning for this since late last year”.
Stefanovic asked why the government seemed to be blindsided by the ruling.
“It doesn’t say much for your planning,” he said.
Australian Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs said the government’s hardline approach was no longer “an adequate answer”, saying the conditions of offshore processing were “dangerous” and unsustainable”.
“Australia can’t force Papua New Guinea to hold people that were originally Australia’s responsibility. But equally … it’s very difficult for Papua New Guinea to take these asylum seekers back.
She said the imminent election campaign meant it was “almost impossible” that either side of politics would change their politically successful policies on offshore detention.
Nicely put. Something needs to be done. Now.
- MONIQUE PATTERSON