The federal government has spent $2m of the total allocated for resettlement under its $55m Cambodia deal, which has so far succeeded in permanently relocating two refugees.
Three others subsequently left Cambodia.
The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, told radio station 2GB on Thursday that $40m of the deal was aid money to be paid over four years and spent on initiatives such as crop production, landmine clearing and election assistance.
A further $15m was to be paid to the International Organisation for Migration – on a fee-for-service basis, according to Dutton’s office – to assist with resettlement costs including accommodation, healthcare and helping the refugees find employment.
Five people have taken up the offer of moving from Australia’s offshore detention centre on Nauru to the southeast Asian country, and of that cohort just two remain.
As a result of the low take-up rate Dutton said “only $2m has been expended so far”. “And the fact we’ve had no drownings at sea and no successful boat arrivals I think is a pretty good outcome.”
An Iranian couple who moved from Nauru to Cambodia voluntarily returned to Iran in late February. Another refugee, an ethnic Rohingya, went back to Myanmar (Burma) in October.
Labor’s immigration spokesman, Richard Marles, has described the Cambodia package as a “botched deal”. “The inability of this government to secure a meaningful resettlement arrangement with a credible third country is a serious failure,” he said on Tuesday.
Cambodia has indicated it is not prepared to accept any more refugees.
Nonetheless, Australia appears to remain committed to supporting the Cambodian government to implement settlement arrangements and is still encouraging refugees on Nauru to explore Cambodia as a resettlement option.
Refugees can elect to return to their country of origin at any time.
