Australia and New Zealand have reached an “in principle” deal to resettle refugees from Australia’s offshore detention regime, with negotiations due to be finalised in “the next few weeks”.
The Australian home affairs department secretary, Mike Pezzullo, told a Senate committee hearing on Monday that New Zealand’s longstanding offer to accept 150 refugees from Australia’s offshore islands “would go back for a final round of negotiations”.
“Subject to a number of conditions Australia would want to see fulfilled, it is an offer that is both welcomed and appreciated,” Pezzullo said.
Negotiations so far have been stymied by Australia’s insistence that refugees must not be able to enter the country “the backdoor way”. Australia has previously said it is reluctant to allow refugees to resettle in New Zealand because, after five years, they could claim citizenship and would be eligible to travel without restriction to Australia: a position belied by the fact that Australia regularly prevents some New Zealand citizens from entering Australia.
New Zealand, in turn, has been reluctant to put additional conditions on visas or residencies granted to refugees, with the immigration minister, Kris Faafoi, saying last year that New Zealand believed anybody resettled there should have the “full rights of New Zealand citizens” – including the right to travel to and work in Australia.
That remains a sticking point, with Pezzullo confirming that there would need to be “some kind of ironclad … or firm blocking” of any “backdoor” ability for a person to use a 444 special purpose visa that would allow them long-term residency in Australia.
The home affairs deputy secretary, Marc Ablong, said “the final set of those negotiations is expected in the next few weeks on the New Zealand side as to where their position lies”.
New Zealand officials were tightlipped over whether this condition would be met. In a statement, Faafoi’s office said negotiations had not concluded and any agreement would need cabinet approval.
“This government has confirmed, on many occasions, that it will honour the offer made under the previous National-led government to accept refugees whom Australia has detained offshore,” it said.
It added that any arrangement would involve the UNHCR to help assess who should be part of New Zealand’s intake, and any refugees considered by New Zealand for resettlement would undergo assessment and screening processes, as is usual for all accepted refugees.
Nine years after Australia restarted offshore processing, and more than seven years since the last asylum seeker was sent offshore, roughly 230 people remained in offshore processing, split between Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Those people were no longer, technically, in detention camps, but their movements remained heavily restricted.
According to government figures, 1,117 “transitory persons” were in Australia, brought back from offshore processing islands – mostly asylum seekers medically evacuated from the islands. This cohort may also be considered – by Australia at least – as candidates for resettlement.
Logistical challenges created by Covid-19 meant New Zealand was well behind on meeting its commitment to resettle 1,500 refugees each year. According to government immigration data, the country had only taken in 414 refugees between April 2021 and February 2022. In the previous financial year, that number was 263.
Meg de Ronde, the executive director of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand called the in-principle agreement a “hard-earned human rights win”. “We’re relieved that for hundreds of people, the torture is nearly over and soon they will get to begin rebuilding their lives.”
Mostafa Azimitabar, who was held in Papua New Guinea before moving to the Park Hotel alternative place of detention (Apod) in Melbourne, where he was evacuated for medical care, said: “This is absolutely a historical moment in Australia. The power of people is stronger than politicians. The government couldn’t resist this powerful pressure. Our consistency made this happen.”
