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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Asylum seekers on Nauru say they are going hungry

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Asylum seekers on Nauru report going hungry, with nearly all surveyed unable to afford sufficient food on their allowance.
  • Almost all asylum seekers surveyed also reported limited access to clean drinking water.
  • Australia funds the offshore detention program, which has cost nearly $900 million in the last financial year, through a memorandum of understanding with Nauru.

Asylum seekers detained on Nauru are reportedly facing severe food shortages, with many skipping meals due to insufficient allowances. A survey by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) found that almost every one of the 78 asylum seekers interviewed could not buy enough food with their fortnightly allowance of $260. More than three-quarters also reported rarely having access to free, clean drinking water.

"The cost of living is really high [on Nauru]," said George, an asylum seeker who has been on the island for nearly two years. "Everybody is facing difficulties, and we have a food shortage. Fruit and vegetables and fresh meat are hard to find, and the price can be ridiculous. I eat discarded food from the bin of local restaurants, even though it makes me sick. Quite a few people are doing the same thing."

The cost of living is really high [on Nauru]. Everybody is facing difficulties, and we have a food shortage. Fruit and vegetables and fresh meat are hard to find, and the price can be ridiculous. I eat discarded food from the bin of local restaurants, even though it makes me sick. Quite a few people are doing the same thing.

— GeorgeAn asylum seeker on Nauru describing the difficulties faced on the island.

Australia funds the offshore processing regime on Nauru, which restarted in 2023. The program cost nearly $900 million in the last financial year. While the Nauruan government sets the payment rate based on local wages, Australia finances the program through a memorandum of understanding. The stipend for asylum seekers was recently increased from $230 to $260 per fortnight, equating to about $18 a day.

Most of the asylum seekers on Nauru are from Asian countries, primarily China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Approximately 100 individuals remain on the island. They do not have work rights and face penalties if caught working illegally. Nauru relies heavily on imported food, leading to high prices for basic necessities. Journalists, including those from ABC, face restrictions on entering the island nation, making independent verification of claims difficult.

I sometimes only have one meal a day.

— GeorgeAn asylum seeker on Nauru detailing the extent of the food shortage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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