Questions have been raised about whether Nauru's decision to process all remaining asylum is related to an impending High Court challenge.
Nauru's government says it expects to process the applications of six hundred asylum seekers within the next week.
It's also moved to make the detention centre an "open" facility, meaning the 600 remaining asylum seekers there can come and go at any time.
The decision comes just days before a legal challenge examining the Australian Government's role in the centre's operation.
The Human Rights Law Centre's director of legal advocacy, Daniel Webb believes the timing of the announcement and the court case are clearly connected.
"I think without any doubt it is our High Court challenge that has been the catalyst for these changes. I mean, the objective facts are the first people were locked up on Nauru over three years ago. In just two days, the High Court of Australia will assess the lawfulness of that detention."
However, speaking to the ABC, Immigration Peter Minister Dutton said the two were not related.
"It's worked progressively to the announcement today. So it's not just an announcement, as you say, 48 hours or so before a court case. The other point that I'd make is that there are High Court cases. court cases, going on all the time between advocates and the Federal Government.. between advocates and other parties, and these matters continue to roll through the courts."
