High Court rules overseas detention lawful

Daniel Webb outside the High Court of Australia in Canberra. (AAP) Source: Daniel Webb outside the High Court of Australia in Canberra. (AAP)

The High Court has ruled Australia's policy of detaining asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, and Nauru, is lawful. A challenge brought on behalf of a Bangladeshi asylum seeker was rejected by a 6-1 majority of the court's full bench.But the verdict means hundreds of asylum seekers in Australia -- among them children and babies -- could be returned into overseas detention.

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