Human rights organisations welcome offshore inquiry, question whether it can expose the full truth

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 27 November

Refugee and human rights organisations welcome the establishment of a Senate inquiry into Australia’s offshore processing and resettlement arrangements, but warn that a parliamentary inquiry alone does not have the strength to lift the rock and expose the corruption, secrecy and human suffering that have defined this regime for more than a decade.

In recent weeks, longstanding corruption within offshore processing has reached new and shocking heights. Allegations of money laundering, bikie involvement, misuse of taxpayer funds and secret multibillion-dollar deals have been laid bare. It seems the Albanese Government has known about these issues for years, yet has continued funnelling hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into a system built on cruelty and secrecy.

Refugee and human rights organisations welcome the decision of the Senate to shine a spotlight on this mess, forcing an inquiry against the Government’s consent and despite its efforts to keep these matters buried. Australians have a right to know how their money is being spent, and why it keeps disappearing into offshore contracts with multinational corporations, bikies and corrupt officials.

However, the organisations express deep concern that this inquiry, while necessary, lacks the powers of compulsion and interrogation needed to prise open this appalling can of worms.

The organisations emphasise that people are suffering right now because of this corruption and secrecy. People who experienced sexual assault on Nauru remain deeply traumatised, as do the children who deteriorated to the extent of self-harm or who succumbed to resignation syndrome.

People have died waiting for medical care that never came. There are people on Nauru today, sent there by the Albanese Government, who cannot get enough food to eat and who are too scared to go to the police when they are assaulted. Families have been shattered. Lives have been lost. The human damage is incalculable and ongoing.

These organisations also note that the Government insists these are “old allegations” from before it came to office, yet bikies are on Nauru today under Tony Burke’s watch. The current multibillion-dollar deal was signed despite AUSTRAC warnings about rapid and suspicious movements of large sums linked to President Adeang and other senior Nauruan political figures. This is not historical. This is happening now, enabled by the Albanese Government’s decisions and its refusal to confront the truth.

The organisations argue that the only way to stop corruption is to cut off the money. Australian taxpayers should not be funding corruption and abuse. The gravy train must end now, and everyone who has been sent offshore must be brought to Australia immediately. They stress the need for a Royal Commission into offshore processing to fully uncover what successive governments knew about corruption and cruelty. The Australian community has only seen the tip of the iceberg and will be stunned when they learn what has been done in their name to innocent people.

Ogy Simic, Head of Advocacy at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre said:

“These are not old allegations. There are bikies on Nauru today under Tony Burke’s watch, being paid with what can only be Australian taxpayer’s money – as far as we know the current Home Affairs Minister put them there. The Government signed a multibillion-dollar deal knowing AUSTRAC had warned of suspicious payments linked to senior Nauruan politicians. This is happening now, and it is happening because the Albanese Government refuses to confront the truth.”

“These appalling issues are not historical – they are happening right now. The corruption gravy train, the secrecy and the harm has got to stop, and every person Australia has sent offshore must be brought back to Australia immediately.”

Dr Julie Macken, Justice and Peace Office of the Sydney Archdiocese said:

“We are very grateful to both the Greens and the Coalition for showing courage, compassion and good sense in calling for this inquiry. But our concern is that it may be like bringing a knife to a gunfight. We have all seen how difficult it is to get to the bottom of corrupt behaviour, we really hope the parliamentary inquiry has the necessary power to reveal the truth of these contracts, camps and the companies that have run them”.

Bethany Rose, Visa Cancellations Working Group said:

“Despite credible and clear warnings issued to the Australian government about systemic corruption on the part of the Nauruan government, the Albanese government has again insisted on fast tracking the outsourcing and offshore warehousing of migrants it deems undesirable at huge cost not only to the Australian tax payer but to the families of the people being punished by Australia’s reprehensible insistence on these secret offshore deals.”

“The cruelty that has been inflicted on these people cannot be understated. We are talking about refugees, people with children, people with serious health issues, who have spent, in many cases, decades building lives in Australia. They are being ripped from their homes in the middle of the night. We know all too well the harm that may flow from this corruption, including refoulement of refugees.”

Sarah Dale, Centre Director & Principal Solicitor, Refugee Advice & Casework Service said:

“The Government was found to be in breach of the human rights for people it detained on Nauru earlier this year. We now again, receive allegation after allegation of corruption within this harmful system. Contracts ought to be cancelled. This system must come to its complete halt. An inquiry as a minimum should be mandatory. The truth of this shameful chapter in our history, must be brought into the light.”

For media enquiries or interviews contact:

Natasha Blucher on 0412 034 821 or media@asrc.org.au