20 Mar 2017

People of Manus have been failed by two government, says MP

From , 6:00 am on 20 March 2017

Governments of Australia and Papua new Guinea have failed the people of Manus, according to the local MP.

Ronnie Knight's comment comes as PNG's Supreme Court has found that the regional processing centre for asylum seekers on Manus is technically "closed".

The court has been seeking direction on compliance by the governments of PNG and Australia with its ruling last April that holding around 900 men there against their will was illegal.

Accepting a submission from PNG's government, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia stated the centre had been closed and that refugees and asylum seekers on Manus were now accommodated at the naval base the centre was built on.

Mr Knight told Johnny Blades the ruling was somewhat bizarre.

Manus Island detention centre

The Manus Island detention centre. Photo: Behrouz Boochani