Nauru has agreed to resettle three immigration detainees who were among the group released into the community after a successful high court challenge in 2023. The trio which includes one murderer is now back in detention waiting to be sent to the pacific island to live freely.
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00:00It's the decision which set free hundreds of immigration detainees.
00:08The High Court overturned a 20-year precedent when it ruled the indefinite detention of
00:13non-citizens who couldn't go back to their home country was unlawful.
00:18It later thwarted efforts to force them to wear ankle bracelets and abide by a curfew.
00:24Now Nauru has agreed to accept an initial three for 30 years after the government passed
00:30laws to pay third countries to do so.
00:33They will be put on a plane and sent to Nauru as soon as arrangements are able to be made.
00:40That will not be within the next seven days, but it will be as soon as possible.
00:45The Minister says the Nauruan government expressed its interest while the bill was before Parliament.
00:51But Tony Burke wouldn't reveal what Australia has offered in return, simply confirming
00:56there is a cost.
00:58I'm sure the transaction is for a very substantial amount of money because it is highly likely
01:04these individuals will probably spend the rest of their lives on Nauru.
01:08More members of the cohort could yet be packing their bags.
01:12Nauru have described these three visas as the first three and that's how it should be seen.
01:20We're happy to have a look at arrangements that the government's put in place.
01:24What started as a response to a High Court decision may end up back here to test the
01:29legality of forcibly removing these people to a third country.
01:34But in not putting the trio on a plane straight away, the government may avoid facing an imminent
01:39legal challenge as it prepares for an election.