Government welcomes High Court directions hearing outcome

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/28/2014 - 05:01

Monday, 28 July 2014

I welcome the positive outcome for the government's case at the directions hearing of the High Court held today.

The Court agreed today that the case stated for consideration on August 4 and 5 by the full bench of the High Court, was now hypothetical and it was no longer appropriate to continue with that hearing scheduled for those dates.

The government has cooperated fully with the Court in relation to this matter and abided by all undertakings willingly provided to the Court and will continue to do so.

All persons associated with this case have been transferred to immigration detention at our Curtin facilities, and are subject to transfer under Australia's offshore processing policy, and are ineligible to make an application for a protection visa in Australia.

In the first instance, the Australian Government is making arrangements to facilitate access by Indian Consular officials to those who may have been Indian nationals or were residents of India, which includes those who have been resident in refugee camps, to determine their eligibility for possible return to India.

In discussion with the Indian Ministers for Home Affairs and External Affairs in New Delhi last week, the Indian Government indicated its preparedness to consider the return of such residents, subject to confirming their identity, on humanitarian grounds in the spirit of the strong relationship between our two countries.

See: Index of Media Releases

URL:http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/sm/2014/sm216683.htm
Last update: Monday, 28 July 2014 at 17:40 AEST