Australia has freed dozens of refugees after holding them in detention for up to eight years on Nauru and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island.
The offshore detentions were designed to deter refugees and asylum seekers from coming to Australia by boat.
Canberra alleged they were entering the country illegally.
Now, more than 60 refugees, many of whom were brought to Australia for medical treatment, have been released this week from hotels and detention centres in Brisbane, Sydney and Darwin.
They have been granted temporary visas and will be able to work, according to The Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul, who said they still face major hurdles.
“The idea that people are going to be able to support themselves in the community is a nonsense, so not only are we seeing these refugees particularly badly treated, they were transferred to Australia, most of them, to get medical treatment in the first place,” he said.
“They have not only not got that treatment, now they are expected to support themselves in the Australian community, in a pandemic.”
This week’s release comes after more than 60 refugees were freed in similar circumstances in December and January. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told local radio in January that it was “cheaper” for the refugees to be released into the community than to be held in detention.
