Dr Koloamatangi said in the absence of criticism from Australia, whose offshore detainees are held on Nauru, New Zealand, the Forum and the UN should speak out.

He said the Forum's Biketawa Declaration expected members to abide by the rule of law, good governance, transparency and accountability.

"One would have to say that Nauru is not abiding by those values, and something has to be done," Dr Koloamatangi said.

"Now if Australia is not doing it, then I would think that New Zealand is the next in line, plus the Forum, should be exploring options about how to engage with Nauru."

The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul hopes Pacific Islands Forum Leaders will draw attention to the plight of refugees when the Pacific Forum leaders meet there in September.

"It is a rare opportunity for international media to have access to Nauru," he said.

About 930 people including about 140 children were being held in the Detention Centre.

"It's an issue of Australia and the way in which Australia has tried to draw places like Papua New Guinea and Nauru into undermining the refugee convention," Rintoul said.

He said the situation should be a cause of some concern for the whole of the Pacific and Asia-Pacific region.

"So we are hoping it does get an airing,"

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: refuge action coalition

The four-year deal, signed in 2014, was designed to resettle hundreds of refugees who have been transferred by Australia to the tiny Pacific nation of Nauru.

Australia's immigration officials have made repeated attempts to persuade the refugees of the merits of moving to Cambodia - one of the world's poorest nations - but only five people agreed to resettle there.

It has now emerged that three of the five - a Burmese man and an Iranian couple - have returned to their homelands. Continue reading

It says four Australian Federal Police officers will also travel to Nauru to advise local police.

Both developments are part of the government's response to the damning findings of the Moss Review into allegations of sexual abuse inside the Nauru detention centre, which was released in March.

The review, conducted by former integrity commissioner Philip Moss, found evidence of rape, sexual assault of minors and guards trading marijuana for sexual favours from female detainees.

It also cleared Save the Children staff of claims they had coached detainees to embarrass the Abbott government.

The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, says the child protection panel consists of three highly skilled and independent individuals in the fields of law enforcement, child protection and public sector accountability — John Lawler, Margaret Allison and Dominic Downie.

He says two of the police officers being sent to Nauru have extensive experience in investigation sexual assault allegations and will provide Nauru police advice on how to manage such investigations.

Source

• Radio New Zealand
• Sydney Morning Herald
• Image: Radio New Zealand

He has written to Prime Minister John Key, offering the support of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops for the cautious and measured approach to making decisions about New Zealand's involvement in the Middle East conflict.

"We are aware of the difficult challenge this situation presents for countries and world leaders, and we offer the Prime Minister our prayers as he makes further decisions about New Zealand's involvement," said Dew.

"We've also urged the New Zealand Government to use its seat on the Security Council of the United Nations to find a way to move beyond the impasse on Iraq and Syria, and which will allow actions to be carried out under the UN banner."

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference has also asked Key to be open to further humanitarian assistance for Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

"While our concern is not only for Catholics, Catholic Syrians and Iraqis in New Zealand speak to us regularly about their deep concern for the desperate situation faced by family members in Syria and Iraq or who have become refugees."

"These insights about the effects the actions of ISIS are having on ordinary people are deeply moving."

"We encourage Catholics to remain steadfast in their prayers for the people affected by the conflict and for the world's leaders - remaining hopeful that together we can bring lasting peace to the Middle East."

Source

• Supplied NZCBC
• Image: sconews.co.uk

It will spend the next few weeks consulting non-government organisations, businesses and other community groups.

The panel's deputy chair is the Archbishop of Port Moresby John Ribat.

He says they have their work cut out for them.

It's expected to deliver its completed report to the Chief Migration Officer by mid-May.

The Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato says the panel will focus on resettling those deemed to be genuine refugees in a "Melanesian way".

All asylum seekers held in an Australian detention centre on Manus Island who are found to be refugees will be resettled in Papua New Guinea, the governments of both countries have agreed.

Writing in the Catholic Report PNG Fr GIorgio Licini says:

"The idea if resettling thousands of Middle East, Asian and African refugees in Papua New Guinea is simply chilling. Think of the enormous cultural divide; the limited job opportunities; poor housing; different agricultural ways and traditions to name a few.

Think also of the fact that affluent countries such as Australia can always accompany the resettlement process with psychological support, language courses, proper medical care (especially for children), a different cultural and religious sensitivity.

The formal resettlement of refugees in a developing country such as Papua New Guinea is something totally new. We never heard of it taking place, let's say, in Brazil, or Nigeria, or the Philippines, or Vanuatu." Read more

Listen to interview with Archbishop Ribat

Source

• SBS
• Image: PNGEDGE

This is according to a spokesperson for Australia's Immigration Minister.

Major Paul Moulds, of the Salvation Army, is quoted as saying that the uncertainty is having a detrimental effect on the behaviour of the asylum seekers, some of whom have protested peacefully about the indefinite delay in their processing, and some of whom are on a hunger strike.

Sources

• ABC Radio Australia
• Listen to the Radio Australia report
• Image: The Punch