Lives in limbo - 10 years of Offshore Processing

The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) is one of many groups that are marking this week’s ‘bitter’ 10th anniversary of the Regional Resettlement Arrangement between the Australian and Papua New Guinea (PNG) governments with an appeal to end the misery and cruelty of offshore processing.

There are 80 refugees living in PNG without permanent safety and the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has called on the Australian Government to recommit to finding solutions for the 80 refugees still suffering in Papua New Guinea 10 years after the two governments signed their offshore processing agreement.

“We hold grave concerns for those who remain in PNG and continue to suffer in misery a decade on,” RCOA CEO Paul Power says.

“Our gravest concerns are for the refugees in PNG with the most acute mental health needs, especially those identified by UNHCR as being eligible for resettlement but too unwell to engage in any resettlement process.

Of the 3,127 people sent to detention in Nauru and Manus Island in the months after the current version of the offshore processing policy came into force on 19 July 2013, more than 1,100 remain in limbo in Australia and 80 in PNG.

So far, more than 1,200 refugees have been resettled to the United States, Canada, New Zealand and some European nations. For those 1,200 or so people still in limbo, fewer than 500 resettlement options remain available in New Zealand and Canada. 

Everyday Australians have also donated $4.9 million to support the sponsorship effort of the Refugee Council of Australia with MOSAIC in Vancouver and Ads Up Canada Refugee Network to sponsor refugees from offshore processing arrangements to Canada, under a partnership known as Operation Not Forgotten.

Australia’s churches and related welfare agencies are involved with support services for many of the 1,100 moved from Nauru and PNG to Australia, mostly for medical reasons, who are now enduring precarious lives at risk of homelessness, needing foodbank assistance and cash support for paying utility bills and medical costs. 

The NCCA and ACRT recently wrote to the Minister for Home Affairs about reinstating a safety net for people living with visa uncertainty in the community and pointing out how the charity sector is being relied on to meet the vast needs. There are an estimated 15,000 people, including families with children born in Australia, who are living with visa uncertainty and relying on community services for day-to-day support.  

One Brisbane church reported recently that they had some asylum seekers sleeping at the church as there was no emergency accommodation available for single men. 

Since May 2022, NCCA is providing grant support to community services providing emergency and welfare support to vulnerable refugees and people living with temporary visas in Australia to help them to bear the burden of reducing government support and growing needs.

Find out more about the NCCA ACRT Refugee Support Grant Fund

Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) is an activity of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA).    

We believe our faith calls us to welcome the stranger and care for the people who find themselves displaced, marginalised or homeless, and those in need of protection. We want to see a compassionate and generous response to welcoming refugees into Australia.