Australia’s offshore processing centres in Papua New Guinea will officially close by the end of 2021.
Detainees and advocates have long criticised Australia’s system of mandatory, offshore indefinite detention for refugees and asylum seekers, which began in 2013.
The PNG courts in 2016 ruled the operation of the detention centres on its soil unconstitutional.
Australia has since replaced detention centres with ‘transit accommodations' that share some similar features.
As offshore processing ceases, refugees will be offered resettlement in third countries including PNG.
The Australian government maintains its harsh policy against seeking asylum by boat, with no resettlement option in Australia for PNG detainees, some of whom have been detained more than seven years.