Australia's Humanitarian Crisis: Buy Your Own Island!
Australia has begun its 30-year, $2.5 billion deal with Nauru, with the first installment of $408 million paid out after a single asylum seeker linked to the NZYQ cohort landed on the tiny island. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the arrival, framing it as the official commencement of a deal that will purportedly 'solve' the issue of just two dozen people. This astronomical sum—over $100
million per person over 30 years—demonstrates that 'border security' is infinitely more profitable than actual humanitarian aid. Instead of addressing the root causes of displacement or processing asylum claims humanely on the mainland, Australia effectively 'outsources' its human rights obligations. One might wonder if building five-star resorts for these individuals in Sydney would have been
cheaper, and certainly more dignified. But then, who would profit from that?