US rejects 148 refugees as crossbench flexes muscle over kids

Border Force officials last night revealed the US had rejected 148 refugees from Nauru.

Independent MP Cathy McGowan. Picture: Kym Smith

Border Force officials last night revealed the US had rejected 148 refugees from Nauru.

Deputy commissioner of operations Mandy Newton told a Senate estimates hearing there were currently 652 people on Nauru, including541 who had been found by Australia to be refugees, 88 whose refugee status was yet to be determined, and 23 who had beenfound not to be genuine refugees.

Ms Newton said the asylum-seeker population on Nauru included 52 children. A further 27 people, including 11 children requiringmedical treatment, were transferred from Nauru yesterday.

She said the US had accepted 276 asylum-seekers from Nauru, with the approval of another 31 imminent pending medical checks. “There’s 148 that have been negative determinations from Nauru,” she added.

The crossbench is ramping up the pressure on Scott Morrison to strike a deal with Labor to ensure children are moved off Nauru as the Coalition faces the likelihood of being forced into minority government.

The lower house crossbenchers yesterday pushed for a swift resolution to the issue after Kerryn Phelps — who appears certain to win the Sydney seat of Wentworth as an independent — said her No 1 priority was to lobby for children to get off Nauru.

South Australian crossbench MP Rebekha Sharkie and Victorian independent Cathy McGowan signalled they wanted the major parties to move on the issue as early as this week.

Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie also introduced a bill into parliament co-sponsored by Ms Sharkie and Greens MP Adam Bandt that would temporarily bring children and their families on Nauru to Australia for medical treatment. “Now is our chance,” Mr Wilkie said. “There are about 70 children languishing on Nauru, many in desperate need of medical treatment, and this bill will allow them to get the treatment they need.

“I just want to see these children treated before someone dies.”

Labor is also pushing for children on Nauru to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment, along with a parent or guardian.