Asylum seekers: Turnbull government to hand cash bonuses of $20K for seekers to give up resettlement

EXCLUSIVE: Australia will offer asylum seekers secret cash bonuses of over $20,000 to go home and give up hope of resettlement.

AUSTRALIA will offer asylum seekers shipped to Papua New Guinea secret cash bonuses of over $20,000 to go home and give up hope of resettlement.

The last chance “go away’’ money is regarded by the Turnbull Government as cheaper than the cost to taxpayers of leaving the asylum seekers in PNG, which is estimated at around $300,000 for each person in detention.

Senior government officials have confirmed for the first time they are prepared to offer increases to the secret payments on a case-by-case basis.

The “go home payments” have not yet been publicly disclosed. Picture: Brian Cassey

The “go home’’ payments, which are not publicly disclosed have already doubled from $10,000 to $20,000 in just two years to clear the backlog of cases according to refugee advocates. More than 500 asylum seekers in both offshore detention centres have accepted the offer to return home to date.

Nearly six months after PNG ruled the Manus Island detention centre was illegal and must be closed down, there are no options before cabinet to send any of the 832 men on Manus to a third country.

Their only choice remains to go home or resettle in Port Moresby if they are genuine refugees, a fate that has already resulted in some refugees begging to return to Manus Island and detention because it’s safer.

By comparison, genuine refugees released from Manus and resettled in Port Moresby are offered just 500 kina or 200 Australian dollar bonus, a pack of household items, 12 months health cover and a free torture counselling program.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton will not comment on the cash offers which are negotiated on a case-by-case basis, but again warned that even genuine refugees will never be resettled in Australia.

“Settlement in Australia will never be an option for people who attempt to travel illegally by boat. There are no exceptions,” Mr Dutton said.

The cash payments will be dealt with one a ‘case by case basis’. Picture: Brian Cassey

Departmental documents provided to The Sunday Telegraph have also outlined the deal offered to genuine refugees to resettle in strife torn Port Moresby.

The documents also state: “If you settle in PNG, you will receive the following support: assistance to find and secure a job by JDA Wokman, skills recognition in PNG for previous qualifications, a flight and initial transport to your settlement location; a relocation allowance of 500 Kina; a starter pack of food and basic household goods; a basic health insurance policy for 12 months; access to free torture and trauma counselling; 2-4 weeks of accommodation in your settlement location while you find long term accommodation.’’

“PNG is a dynamic and fast-growing country. PNG has a very bright future and offers refugees the opportunity to commence a new life and become part of our future,’’ it states.

“Australian immigration officials do not have any jurisdiction in PNG. You will not be settled in Australia.’’

But some refugees have simply begged to be returned to detention after spending nights barricading themselves against violent assaults from locals.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said even genuine refugees will never be settles in Australia. Picture: Brian Cassey

Department documents provided to men on Manus state that “non-refugees who have not departed PNG by the time the Manus RPC closes will be detained at another place identified by ICSA until they depart PNG.

“No-one will be settled in Australia.’’

The revelations follow the arrest of one of Indonesia’s most notorious people smugglers “Captain Bram” Abraham Louhenapessy yesterday who now faces up to 10 years in jail.

Detainees on Manus islands ne “open detention’’ model have faced violent assaults, including a recent attack where two Afghan Hazaras were photographed in the aftermath of a beating by locals with an iron bar after a trip to the beach.

Running the offshore detention regimen on Manus and Nauru cost taxpayers $1 billion last year.

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