Asylum seekers on Manus Island say the Government hired security contractors are “doing nothing” on the ground with the $423 million grant the firm has been issued.
The firm, known as Paladin, have little experience in providing security services in immigration detention, and were reluctantly hired according to a journalist on the island, Behrouz Boochan, after other security companies were hesitant to be associated with Australia’s controversial offshore detention regime.
Reports have suggested that Papua New Guinea’s parliamentary speaker and MP for Manus, Job Pomat benefitted from the deal, but he has spoken out regarding the allegations, inviting journalists to come to the island and even review bank statements to prove his innocence.