Statement from Department of Home Affairs spokesperson to 7.30, 15 October 2018
The Department does not comment on individual cases.
Anyone who arrived in Australia by boat on or after 19 July 2013, will never settle in Australia.
The Department has repeatedly stated that individuals who have temporarily transferred to
Australia, including for medical treatment, are expected to return to Nauru or PNG when the reason
they transferred is complete.
Medical transfer is not a pathway to settlement in Australia.
The Governments of Nauru and PNG are the operationally accountable authorities for regional
processing arrangements in their respective countries.
The Department takes seriously its role in supporting the Governments of Nauru and PNG to ensure
that transferees are provided with a range of health, welfare and support services arrangements.
Service providers are contracted to provide age-appropriate health, education, recreational, and
cultural services and activities. Health professionals regularly engage with transferees in regards to
their mental health and individuals have access to counselling services as needed.
As at 11 October 2018, there were 65 contracted health professionals, including 33 mental health
professionals providing services to transferees in Nauru.
Contracted health care professionals in PNG include medical officers, primary care nurses, mental
health nurses, a psychiatrist, counsellors, paramedics and a laboratory technician.
Transferees needing medical treatment not available in Nauru or PNG may be temporarily
transferred to a third country, including Australia, for appropriate care. Once treatment is
completed, they are expected to return to Nauru or PNG.
Decisions about third country treatment are made on a case by case basis on clinical advice from the
treating medical practitioner, assessed by a Commonwealth Medical Officer and made in
consultation with the Government of Nauru or PNG.
Individuals who have been temporarily transferred to Australia are supported to resolve the issues
for which they were transferred so they can return to their families and if interested, be considered
for resettlement in the United States as a family unit.