The government of Nauru has reportedly blocked the medical evacuation of a mentally ill refugee, despite a court ordering that she must be brought to Australia for urgent treatment.
Nauru’s Secretary for Multicultural Affairs refused to allow the woman and her brother to be transferred to Australia via air ambulance because she was “just not convinced” it was a medical emergency, the ABC has reported.
The Australian government is now working to have the woman, who suffers severe depression and trauma-related conditions, brought to Australia.
However, the delay has put the Australian government and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in breach of a Federal Court ruling, according to the ABC.
Dejan Lukic, a lawyer acting for the Home Affairs Minister, told the court it was an issue of diplomacy and international relations rather than Australian law.
The island of Nauru. A woman will be flown from the island nation to Australia for treatment. Source: Getty Images
"Technically the applicant … is on a temporary settlement visa that permits her to leave the country subject to the visa approvals of the receiving country that's why there's no obstacle to her leaving on a commercial flight," he told the court.
It’s understood arrangements have been made for the woman to be flown via a commercial flight on Friday to NSW for treatment.
The Department of Home Affairs declined to comment, telling SBS News "The department does not provide specific details on the health and transfer arrangements of individuals".
It comes after Australia was ordered to fly an Iraqi refugee blinded in one eye during the attacks on the Manus detention centre in February 2014 to Brisbane.
The man, known as Mohammad, lost the sight in his right eye in the violent clashes that killed Reza Barati.
“It took a court order for the government to finally act. Mohammad was flown from Port Moresby to Brisbane on Sunday, 1 September, for treatment to try and save some sight in his left eye,” the Doctors4Refugees group posted to Facebook.
“We can only hope that this action is not too late to save Mohammad's remaining sight and thank everyone for your support.”
An Iraqi refugee left blind in one eye after the attacks on the Manus detention centre in February 2014, has been flown to Brisbane. Source: Facebook
Nauru is hosting the Pacific Island Forum, which aims to strengthen bonds between the Pacific nations.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern arrived on the island nation on Wednesday and said refugees were one of her main priorities.
She reiterated that New Zealand's offer to take 150 offshore asylum seekers was still on the table.
Australia has so far rejected the NZ Prime Minister’s offer, saying it could allow refugees to eventually make their way to Australia if they gained New Zealand citizenship.
"(It) remains on the table. Nothing has changed in that regard," she said in Wellington.
"It's certainly something I'll be reiterating."
