Peter Dutton slams ‘lies’ of Manus advocates

Refugee advocates had told ‘disgraceful lies’ about new accommodation for asylum-seekers on Manus Island.

Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, has labelled “lies” peddled by refugee advocates about Manus Island as “disgraceful” as asylum-seekers began leaving the Papua New Guinea detention centre and moving to other ­accommodation following a court decision to keep it closed.

Mr Dutton said the PNG ­Supreme Court decision to reject an application to keep the detention centre open was “common sense” as he warned advocates against telling detainees to stay in the centre, which was closed on ­October 31 and has no power, water or food.

“We now ask the advocates to stop messaging the people within the regional processing centre telling them not to move because that is not going to leverage us into changing our position and ­allowing people to come to Australia,” Mr Dutton told Sky News yesterday.

The PNG Supreme Court ruled in April that the detention centre was unconstitutional and had to close by October, but 587 asylum-seekers refused to leave, claiming their safety was at risk in the general community.

The court rejected an injunction application to keep the centre open after lawyers for the refugees claimed their human rights were being violated.

The court ruled the alternative accommodation provided by the government was adequate.

Barrister Greg Barns yesterday saidan appeal would be lodged with the Supreme Court tomorrow.

However, refugees started leaving the detention centre and moving to the alternative accommodation after the injunction was rejected on Tuesday.

Manus Island police say 24 asylum-seekers were transferred on Tuesday with another 14 leaving yesterday.

“Police were on hand to provide smooth and orderly transfers of the refugees to their new ­location,’’ Manus Island police commander David Yapu said. “This was a good sign to allow the process to continue smoothly.’’

Mr Dutton said claims the ­alternative accommodation was not finished was “nonsense”. He said asylum-seekers already ventured into the general community despite claims by activists they were unsafe outside detention.

“There’s a lot of myth around this because it’s in the best interests of the advocates — and you know professional advocates like (Greens senator) Nick McKim and others — to distort the facts here and frankly just lie because they’re trading on the people’s situation here,” Mr Dutton said.

“It’s quite deceitful and disgraceful, but that’s what we’ve come to expect from the Greens and from some in the Labor Party. Unfortunately they’re wanting to prolong the difficulty of these people on the Manus Island ­Regional Processing Centre for their own political gain.”

Mr Barns said: “Every time Peter Dutton criticises a lawyer for doing their job, their reputation is enhanced.”