Cambodia your only option, Peter Dutton warns Nauru refugees

Cambodian officials remained on Nauru yesterday, explaining resettlement offers to refugees.

Cambodian officials remained on Nauru yesterday, explaining resettlement offers to refugees as Immigration Minister Peter Dutton addressed prospective transferees via a video.

“This is your only long-term settlement option. You will not under any circumstances be settling in Australia; this is not an option the Australian government will ever present to you,” Mr Dutton says in the video, played throughout common areas yesterday and on Tuesday.

In a deal struck by former ­immigration minister Scott Morrison, Cambodia agreed to take refugees who arrived by boat in Australia seeking asylum and held on Nauru. The offer, which includes financial and other support, is open only to those whose claims have been found to be legitimate.

Refugee Rights Action Network spokesman Ian Rintoul yesterday denied Mr Dutton’s claims that advocates had been discouraging refugees from taking up the resettlement offer.

“Please do not let the behaviour of these agitators ruin this opportunity for you,” Mr Dutton says.

“The government of Nauru has … agreed to extend your stay in Nauru for up to 10 years so those who thought they could wait it out for five years and then come to Australia are wrong.”

In Cambodia, Kern Sarin, head of the Interior Ministry’s immigration department, confirmed a group of his officials was still on the island yesterday. “I also don’t know when the refugees will come to Cambodia.”

International non-government groups in Phnom Penh and local NGOs have refused to ­assist. The International Organisation for Migration is providing resettlement services in Cambodia, but Australia is paying.