An application to stay a Supreme Court inquiry on issues of jurisdiction was refused by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Ian Molloy, lawyer representing Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato as well as the Chief Migration officer, Mataio Rabura, moved the application today asking the high court to halt the inquiry on grounds it was not proper.
Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia said the inquiry will proceed and told parties to provide details of an Australian Government representative who will later be asked to give a statement to the court. This is to show where the Australian Government is in terms of orders issued in April to shut down the asylum processing centre in Manus.
Last Monday, Molloy questioned Sir Salamo, who was conducting the inquiry, on whether the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction to conduct an inquiry into an application that has been determined by the court.
The Chief Justice said the orders of the five-man Supreme Court bench are to be enforced and the inquiry is simply a way forward in dealing with the orders issued.
Parties in the case will return to court this Thursday.