Visiting Nauru - 23-24 April 2007

"I've just returned from a quick two day visit to Nauru -- my fourth in four years. I had a look at the recently renovated facility where the refugees are staying and met with many of them. There has been a different situation each visit I've made, and this one was no different in being different.

I also visited a local pre-school, met with Australian government officials and with the people from IOM who are running the centre where the refugees are staying."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Nauru
• refugees
• asylum
• detention
• children
• school
• Democrats
• Senator
• Andrew
• Bartlett

[CMFrenchEsq]

The Pacific Solution served its purpose and stopped the boats coming.

[SenatorBartlett]

@CMFrenchEsq Served it's purpose?! When people were still imprisoned there more than 5 years after this so-called 'solution' was implemented. Hundreds of millions of dollars to imprison a few thousand people over a multitude of years - the vast majority of who ended up settling in Australia anyway. Some 'solution'.

But it certainly served it's 'purpose' of winning some votes - and an election.

[deauzie]

Are you still in government as the new government needs to act and help the people of Nauru

[SenatorBartlett]

I'm not in Parliament any more, but to their credit, the new government has closed down the refugee camps - hopefully for good, although the law hasn't been changed yet, so technically it could happen again. There's still support needed for the Nauru and its people though.

[Inkan1969]

Glad to see someone speaking up for the detainees and for Nauruans, Senator. BTW: Has Nauru ever tried to block you from entering the country to do your reports? How hard would it be for a U.S. tourist to visit Nauru?

[SenatorBartlett]

No, the government there never tried to block me, but they did stop a number of other people during the period the camps were operating. It did get better over time.

[CMFrenchEsq]

Served its purpose in terms of deterrence. Figures tabled in the Senate on 27th May 09 by Secretary of the DIAC state unauthorized boat arrivals by sea had fallen from 5516 in 2001 to precisely 1 in 2002. While you are of course are free to disagree the majority of voters clearly saw the policy as a ‘solution,’ at least in stopping the boat arrivals.

[Barndude9657]

Dear Senator Bartlett,

Thank you so much for providing video of Nauru since 2003. I applaud your efforts.

[afghhazara]

Thanks Mr Senator Bartlett

am on of the afghan tampa refugees came to Australia on september 2003

i been in nauru for about two years i remember you when i came in brisbane thanks for your strong suport

all the best

[sweetafghanboy]

Hi Mr Senator

My Name is Sadat Ali and i have detained in Nauru Detention Center for 3 years.....Hopelessly with no positive reaction From Dimia... I faced deportation back to Kabul...i was told that Afghanistan has changed...But guess what You can still see on News..I had great hope to live in Australia study work and spent rest of my life with great Aussies...But it's just my bad luck i say....

I currently live in Pakistan..and believe me you don't want to be here....Life sucks in Mid East.

[Inkan1969]

Thanks for the reply.  Maybe Nauru can repackage itself as an airport hub for the central pacific. Or remake the Menem as an inclusive resort. I heard that they bothered to make their own tourism website: "Discover Nauru".

[Kenny2k08]

Nauru's a really small country!