Australia’s new offshore agreement slammed as Nauru sees first deportations

Human rights organisations are deeply concerned, with reports confirming the first deportations to Nauru under a new deal.

The government’s multi-billion-dollar offshore agreement allows the deportation of around 280 non-citizens from the NZYQ group, a cohort living in Australia who had their visas cancelled on character grounds.

The deal has been termed as “secretive” and follows the implementation of recent laws which come two years after these people were released back into community after a 2023 high court ruling that they could not be in indefinite detention.

So what exactly is known about the deal and these few deportations so far?

Image: image Wikimedia Creative commons 2.0 – DIAC images

Produced By: Emma Wotzke

Featured In Story: Ogy Simic – Head of Advocacy at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre , and

First aired on The Wire, Thursday 6 November 2025