Action: Australia must end offshore detention – Urgent evacuation from PNG and Nauru
People are still trapped offshore under Australia’s offshore ‘processing’ and detention regime, which been routinely criticised for being cruel and blatantly violating human rights. Since PM Howard first established offshore processing on Nauru and Manus Island in 2001, thousands of people have suffered deprivation of freedom, cruelty and abuse, and denial of their right to seek asylum in Australia. Many of these people bear the emotional scars and continue to live with poor physical and mental health.
NAURU
Since October 2023, around 100 people have been sent offshore to Nauru after arriving in Australia by boat to seek asylum, some of who remain in locked detention. There are reports of worsening mental health conditions, with the realisation that and the Australian government has no resettlement plans in place. In January, 2025, the UN affirmed that Australia cannot simply walk away from it’s responsibilities towards people it sends offshore, calling on the Australian government to promptly compensate people for violating their human rights under the offshore regime.
Australia needs to provide safe resettlement to these people.
See just one of the numerous United Nations reports of the many condemning offshore processing and the
ASRC media release January 2025: UN Human Rights Committee condemns Australia offshore detention policy
PNG
Having been held in detention in harsh and inhumane conditions on Manus Island for many years, 37 men, some of who now have partners and children, are still trapped in PNG. After so many years of uncertainty and despair, some of these men are very ill, and need specialist mental health care - they need to be brought to Australia for urgent medical care. After 12 years, this cruel limbo must end –Australia must arrange genuine safe resettlement pathways for all those still trapped in PNG, including settlement in Australia. Read more here.
Add your voice to the call to end the health crisis of Australia’s offshore regime:
Join organisations and individuals across Australia calling for an end to Australia’s cruel offshore processing and detention regime, and for the urgent evacuation of those still held in PNG and Nauru, in particular, those requiring urgent medical care.
Please read, sign and share the letter calling for an end to the health crisis:
Send a message to the Prime Minister and the Minister Tony Burke.
• Contact Form for the Prime Minister: www.pm.gov.au/contact
• Email address for Minister Burke: tony.burke.mp@aph.gov.au
Suggested points for your email. (Include your name and address in your email.)
• Around 100 people are now held offshore in Nauru. Australia remains responsible for these people under international law.
• Australia held people in harsh detention centre on Manus Island for years until the PNG Government ruled it unlawful under the PNG Constitution in 2017.
• The harm and abuse that children, women and men have experienced in Australia’s offshore detention facilities is well documented, including in the thousands of reports that make up the Nauru files.
• Around 37 men, some now with partners and children, still remain in Port Moresby, with permanent resettlement still out of reach.
• Around 10 of the men remaining in PNG are now seriously ill and need to be urgently evacuated to Australia for specialist mental health treatment. Clearly adequate mental health care is not available in PNG.
• All those held on Nauru and PNG should be brought to Australia.
◦ Those who apparently have a resettlement pathway to NZ or Canada (19 men) have already been waiting years for resettlement. The Australian Government needs to advocate for immediate resettlement, and if this is not possible these men should be accommodated in the Australian community until they can take up the offer of resettlement in Canada or New Zealand.
◦ Those who have no resettlement pathway should be resettled in Australia.
◦ Those who have been taken to Nauru since October 2023 should have their refugee claims fairly assessed in Australia, with full transparency and integrity, including appeal rights.
• The Albanese Government must urgently follow the UN’s recommendation to end offshore processing.