Contractor IHMS says Australian Nicole Montana, has been stood down for breach of rules

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Nauruan authorities have arrested and ordered the removal of the senior medical officer for Australia’s immigration processing centre, an Australian doctor, according to sources on the island.

According to separate sources, Dr Nicole Montana, senior medical officer for Australia’s health contractor, IHMS, was arrested on Tuesday night and ordered to leave.

A spokeswoman for IHMS would not confirm the arrest but said Montana was stood down on Tuesday “for a breach of Regional Processing Centre rules”.

“She is departing Nauru today. A replacement senior medical officer is already in Nauru, there has been no impact on the services provided to transferees.”

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It is not known why she was arrested or who gave the order. Montana had replaced Dr Christopher Jones, whose visa was suddenly cancelled by Nauru in September amid arguments over medical transfers.

A spokesman for the Australian Department of Home Affairs declined to answer questions and said it was a matter for Nauru and IHMS.

Professor Paul Colditz, President of the Paediatrics and Child Health Division within the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, said the situation on Nauru had reached “crisis point”.

“Last week Medecins Sans Frontieres was forced to stop providing care on the island and yesterday evening the senior medical officer for Australia’s health contractor, IHMS, was arrested and ordered to leave,” he said.

“The development overnight is further sign that the situation on Nauru is completely untenable and constitutes a medical crisis. The Australian Government must immediately bring the children and their families to Australia to receive the medical care they desperately and urgently need.”

Plan International Australia CEO Susanne Legena also called for refugees to be taken out of Nauru.

“It is very concerning that at a time of extreme need for medical services for vulnerable refugees, medical personnel are being kicked off Nauru,” said Legena.

“We have seen the tragic consequences that have resulted from a lack of medical support on this remote Pacific island time and time again. The mental health and physical health of children is on the line – the Australian Government can no longer wash their hands of the consequences of its actions and declare this the responsibility of the Nauruan Government.”

Greens Senator Nick McKim said the prime minister had “lost control” of the detention centres.



“This deportation confirms that there is no way for Australia’s prisoners on Nauru to receive proper medical support.”

The Nauruan government’s behaviour has been increasingly unpredictable in recent weeks, including blocking medical transfers ordered by the federal court, and suddenly forcing Médecins Sans Frontières, which was delivering psychological and psychiatric services, off the island.

After MSF went public about the conditions in Nauru and the worsening health crisis, Nauru accused it of conspiring against the country.

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The Nauruan government has also targeted a group of people known as the Nauru 19, individuals including former ministers and a prime minister who were charged over a protest outside parliament. Their case was dismissed by a judge who strongly criticised the government’s pursuit of the group.

Members have said a blacklist – evidence of which was put before the court – continues to be used against them. At least three have had passport applications blocked, and this week one accused the government of denying critical medical treatment to a member of the group, Rutherford Jeremiah, after a diving accident.

The Nauru government and police force have been contacted for comment.