Kerry Smith

The Nauru consulate-gGeneral informed Greens senator Kerry Nettle on July 20 that she would not be granted a visa to visit the remaining 32 asylum seekers in the Australian detention centre on the Pacific Island.

The consulate-general’s letter said “the visit has been suspended for now as the government is currently in the process of revising its position on a number of issues pertaining to the Overseas Processing Centre on Nauru. Issues include, amongst others, the access to the Overseas Processing Centre.”

Nettle responded in a media release that day: "Given the ongoing failures of the immigration department, it is important that Australians know what is going on in our detention centre in Nauru... I can visit the centres on Christmas Island or Baxter, but Nauru is currently off limits. This move strengthens the Greens' continued call for asylum seekers on Nauru to be brought to Australia.”

“I hope the indication that the government of Nauru is revising its position on the detention centres will mean that the camps will be closed.”

Nettle pointed out, “A memorandum of understanding between Australia and Nauru about aid and the detention camps is currently being negotiated. Australia has a responsibility to develop a respectful relationship with Nauru that recognises the role Australia has played in depleting the environmental and economic resources of Nauru.

“Australian aid to Nauru must not be tied to the detention centres.”

From Green Left Weekly, July 27, 2005.
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