Australia Denies Responsibility for Sick Refugee in PNG

A refugee advocate has accused the Australian government of refusing to medically evacuate a severely ill Kurdish-Iranian man from Papua New Guinea, highlighting his deteriorating condition and the government's stance on responsibility.

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It's very obvious now, looking at his condition, that his situation has deteriorated dramatically.

Hatam Yekta, 36, was first sent to Manus Island in 2013 after seeking asylum from Iran. His family and advocates report a rapid decline in his health since then. Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, stated that Yekta is one of 12 refugees still in PNG after more than a decade, suffering serious mental health issues due to mistreatment on Manus Island. Rintoul warned that Yekta might only have months left to live.

"It's very obvious now, looking at his condition, that his situation has deteriorated dramatically," Rintoul said. He added that while the hospital has not provided a clear diagnosis, it is evident that the PNG government cannot offer the necessary medical and psychological support. Yekta is currently in Port Moresby, and his family has sought his medical evacuation to Australia under its medivac legislation since 2019.

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We haven't got anything clearly from the hospital to indicate why his condition is so bad, but it is very clear that the PNG government is not able to provide the medication, health and psychological support that Hatam or the other refugees need.

This legislation allows for the medical transfer of critically ill asylum seekers from offshore detention centers to Australia. However, Rintoul noted that plans were halted when the Liberal government repealed the legislation in December 2019. Although the Labor government reinstated the medivac system in 2025, Australia and PNG had already ended their regional processing association in 2021, and the Manus Island facility closed. Consequently, the government has largely ignored Yekta's requests and those of others in PNG.

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It's a political failure and administrative failure. Now they're confronted with a very, very sick refugee that they have consistently denied support to, so there's a large amount of responsibility at their feet.

The Department of Home Affairs maintains that Yekta and the other remaining individuals are no longer Australia's responsibility. "The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government is responsible for the management of individuals remaining in PNG who were formerly under regional processing arrangements," the department stated. "The Australian Government does not have any role in the ongoing management for individuals remaining in PNG." A Senate inquiry into the past conditions of Australia's offshore detention facilities is currently underway.

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The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government is responsible for the management of individuals remaining in PNG who were formerly under regional processing arrangements. The Australian Government does not have any role in the ongoing management for individuals remaining in PNG.