First Nauru refugees arrive

Six refugees have arrived in New Zealand after being detained in offshore Australian detention camps for several years. Their arrival is part of an offer by the Government to resettle up to 150 people who are or have been detained on Nauru each year for three years. The Australian government accepted the offer in March. Amnesty International has welcomed the news, but one of its refugee rights advisers, Graham Thom, said many more people lack a pathway to resettlement. He said the dire conditions in offshore detention centres have caused serious mental and physical health issues for many people. Refugee Action Coalition’s spokesman Ian Rintoul said that of the six refugees, four are Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, one is from Sudan and one is Cameroonian. All of them are single men. ‘‘It’s a relief that they are off Nauru and they can begin their new life but many have been left behind. The fact is all the people could have been taken off Nauru.’’