Group received final approvals on Wednesday and are expected to leave in coming weeks

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

About 50 refugees are expected to leave Manus Island and Nauru in coming weeks to start new lives in the US.

The refugees received their final approvals on Wednesday morning and will join about 230 who have resettled in America.

“We’re continuing to work with the United States and this is the next step in that process,” the Coalition frontbencher Darren Chester told Sky News.

“We must never forget how we got in this position. It was the Labor party that had an open door policy which led to so many people being put in detention and people drowning at sea.

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“So we’re trying to work our way through the situation. Our border protection policies have worked, and we’re endeavouring to reach a solution in partnership with other nations.”

Since resettlements under the deal started in September, about 145 refugees have left Nauru and 85 have leftPapua New Guinea’s Manus Island.

Labor senator Kristina Keneally said Australians wanted to see a speedy resolution to clearing the offshore camps.

Dozens of refugees leave Nauru for resettlement in US Read more

Refugees had been left to languish in hopeless and cruel conditions for too long.

“The Turnbull government needs to get moving, and if Labor comes to government, we need to be clear that we are working hard with our allies around the world to find a solution to this,” Keneally said.

“We’ve found a solution – a partial solution – with the United States. We have an offer from New Zealand.

“It is not beyond the wherewithal of the Australian government to go out and work with our world partners to try and fund a way to resolve the situation of people on Manus and Nauru.”

The Greens Senator Nick McKim said it was good news for those directly affected.



“But it’s not good news for the majority of men, women and children on Manus island and Nauru who have now clicked up over five years in offshore detention and have no idea what the future holds for them,” he said.

Under the deal Australia reached with the previous Obama administration the US agreed to take up to 1,250 refugees from the offshore detention centres.

Even if the US accepts the full quota the Australian government expects several hundred refugees and asylum seekers will remain.

The PNG government has said those in offshore processing are Australia’s legal responsibility; the United Nations high commissioner for refugees agrees. Nauru refuses to permanently resettle any refugees.