Immigration Minister Tony Burke says Nauru approached Australia to take three NZYQ detainees

The Immigration Minister has pushed back on the ‘morality’ of the Nauru deal to take criminal detainees in a tense exchange with ABC host Sarah Ferguson.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke says it’s ‘patronising’ to question Australia’s deal with Nauru to take three criminal detainees in a tense exchange with 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson.

Mr Burke on Sunday announced the Albanese government had struck a resettlement deal with its tiny Pacific neighbour to take the three offenders, including a convicted murderer.

They are members of the NZYQ cohort who had been staying in Australia on bridging visas, after being released from detention under a landmark High Court decision in 2023.

In an interview on the ABC’s 7.30 on Monday night, Ms Ferguson pressed Mr Burke on the “morality of sending a murderer and other serious criminals to a tiny impoverished country like Nauru”.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke pushed back on the ‘morality’ of the deal with Naurua in a tense interview ABC 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson on Monday. Picture: Supplied

Mr Burke said “Nauru approached us” while legislation allowing members of NZYQ to be sent to a third country was before the parliament.

“They are a sovereign nation. They made a decision that they believed that an arrangement of this sort, there was a way of it being in their national interest,” Mr Burke said.

“And I respect that.”

He said it was Nauru was willing to take them, and pushed back at refugee advocates who questioned the viability of living in the country.

“Can I refer to one way that people often refer to the morality here as though there’s something horrific about sending anyone to Nauru,” Mr Burke said.

“They as a nation decided they’re willing to take them, it’s a patronising attitude.

“You’re right to put the question, because a lot of people are asking, but I think that there’s some values there that are pretty condescending to Nauru, when some of the advocates put that argument.”

Immigration Minister Tony Burke on ABC program 7.30 on Monday February 17, 2025. Picture: Supplied

The minister also refused to detail how much Australia was paying Nauru to take the three.

“As you know, you know I’m not going to answer that one,” he said.

“The costs of arrangements like this don’t get disclosed. That’s been the case for decades.”

When pushed further, Mr Burke said it was part of the deal that “these issues be kept confidential”.

The three to be sent to Naurua was among at least 150 visa holders convicted of serious crimes released from detention under a landmark High Court decision in 2023.

With no foreseeable options for deportation, they were effectively being detained indefinitely.

The High Court ruled the limbo unlawful.

In Nauru, they will be housed in a facility separate to Australia’s offshore centre in the country.

They would also have the freedom to “move around the island” and the right to work

Originally published as Immigration Minister Tony Burke says Nauru approached Australia to take three NZYQ detainees