An Australian senator has been refused a visa to visit Nauru, with the country’s consulate claiming it was because the request wasnot supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Greens senator Nick McKim had sought to visit the island nation in late October to speak with the refugees sent there by the Australian government and inspect their living conditions. However, on Thursday afternoon he was told his visa request was denied.
“We have been informed by the Australian High Commission on Nauru that the senator’s request to visit Nauru does not have the support of the Australian Dfat office,” a Nauruan consular assistant wrote. “Therefore Nauru government is unable to support the senator’s visa request at this time.”
BREAKING: I have been refused a visa to visit Nauru. The reason? The Australian Government told them not to let me in. Kids are at risk of dying and Morrison doesn't want anyone to see. #KidsOffNauru pic.twitter.com/MEKYhvr0oj
— Nick McKim (@NickMcKim) October 26, 2018
Dfat and the minister for foreign affairs, Marise Payne, have been contacted for comment and to confirm if the Nauru consulate’s claims are accurate.
McKim said he had not yet sought clarification from Dfat about the claims in the email as he had “no reason to believe that this is anything other than what it is on face value”.
“Which is that the Australian government is acting to deny a senator the opportunity to bear witness to what Australia is doing and funding on Nauru.”
Asked if he had sought the support of Dfat or the minister in his application, McKim said it went through the international and parliamentary relations office, and was conducted in the same way he had successfully applied to visit Manus Island to visit refugees.
“The Liberals’ constant refrain that these are matters for the Nauruan government have been blown out of the water by this email,” he said.
It is not the first time a Greens politician has been refused entry to Nauru.
In 2016, Sarah Hanson-Young, the then spokeswoman for immigration, had her visa application refused but no specific reason was given. She had previously visited in 2013.
The government is facing widespread demands to evacuate refugees and asylum seekers off Nauru for healthcare, amid worsening mental and physical illness.
The government of Nauru has maintained there is no issue with the healthcare and services available, and recently was found to be blocking medical transfers of individuals ordered by Australia’s federal court.
There are around 650 people on Nauru sent there by Australia’s offshore processing system, including about 50 children.
