Manus Assulum Seekers

Manus island solution could take months, says Dutton

PNG's government announced two weeks ago that the controversial detention centre will close after the country's Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional.

Each country has argued that the other is responsible for those detained there.

Neither Australia nor PNG have followed the court decision, with both sides poised to ignore the Supreme Court ruling for months.

The minister, Peter Dutton, says talks between the two countries about what do have been constructive, but says a resolution will likely take a couple of months.

Asylum seeker processing on Manus labelled a farce

A statement from the PNG government issued at the start of the month said all refugee status assessments had been completed and were being considered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Rimbink Pato.

The statement said all status determinations would be finalised by the end of June while segregation of asylum seekers based on the outcome of their applications would begin on the 6th of June.

But the Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul said the claims of progress being made on Manus were farcical and at best posturing on the part of the PNG government.