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Until today, the Government has denied a refugee swap deal was agreed to with former President Barack Obama. Picture: Kym Smith
THE announcement by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last September was a surprise — Australia would help the US by taking refugees from Costa Rica.
Today there is the not-so-surprising news that the intake of South Americans will depend on the US abiding by its deal to accepting refugees from Manus Island and Nauru.
The Australian government had consistently denied a link between the two projects and rejected talk of a “people swap”.
The difference appears to be Donald Trump and the possibility his “extreme vetting” of refugees will see none taken from Australian detention centres.
The new rules were outlined by Immigration minister Peter Dutton who told Sky News the government “wouldn’t take anyone until we had assurances that people are going to go off Nauru and Manus”.
“We want an outcome in relation to Nauru and Manus,” said Mr Dutton.
But just 17 days ago Mr Dutton’s office denied a nexus between the Costa Rican arrangement and the pledge to take detainees from Manus and Nauru — both agreed with former US President Barak Obama.
“The Australian Government has rejected suggestions that this announcement (of the Costa Rican deal) forms part of a people swap arrangement with the United States. It is independent of the resettlement arrangement with respect of Manus and Nauru”, they said at the time.
Back in September, Prime Minister Turnbull was adamant there would not be reciprocal exchanges of refugees.
“It’s not linked to any other resettlement discussions,” said Mr Turnbull.
“But clearly we are always working to find resettlement options for refugees and as you know Peter Dutton and (Foreign Minister) Julie Bishop have worked tirelessly to find resettlement option.”
Labor’s foreign affairs spokesman told Sky “it does appear as though this was a deal done by Malcolm Turnbull but, that’s not what he said last year”
He said: “I mean, look, everyone knew it was a deal, and last night Peter Dutton, playing politics as always, belled the cat when he made it clear that it was contingent that taking people from Costa Rica was contingent on America taking those from Manus and Nauru, so clearly this was a deal.”
Peter Dutton has admitted the government ‘wouldn’t take anyone until we had assurances that people are going to go off Nauru and Manus’. Picture Gary RamageSource:News Corp Australia