Deportations continue in Nauru

After deporting its sole resident magistrate last week, Nauru has proceeded to also deport a former media advisor, Rod Henshaw. It follows an overnight amendment to the country’s Immigration Act, which now allows the minister for immigration to sign deportation orders without appeal. The change “has implications for Australia”, according to the island nation’s Chief Justice Geoffrey Eames whose own visa was also cancelled last week. Australia has played down the seriousness of the ‘crisis’. President Baron Waqa says his country decides who can or cannot come into the country, and that criticisms of Nauru’s position amounted to attacking the country’s sovereignty. His comments were direct rebuttal of claims that his country had renounced the rule of law.

Solicitor general, Steven Bliim, has since resigned in protest, saying there was no point in sticking around.