7 Aug 2013

Nauru government gags media over asylum policy change

3:22 pm on 7 August 2013

For the second time in two weeks, the Nauru state media has been stopped from covering opposition criticism of government policies - this time the conflicting reports on plans to house refugees on the island.

At the weekend, the Nauru president, Baron Waqa, signed an agreement with Australia's Kevin Rudd to settle refugees on the island.

The government says allowing the opposition to raise concerns about the deal would confuse the populace.

But the opposition's Mathew Batsiua says since the announcement, confusion has reigned supreme and that's entirely down to the government.

"That is because the government has had mixed messages, mixed responses to the public about exactly what the deal will entail, will involve. So we are as confused as everyone else and this [the opposition view] will not add to the confusion, this is trying to get answers from the government so everybody can be aware exactly what they have signed up to because, quite frankly, it looks like the government themselves don't know what they have signed up to."

Mathew Batsiua of Nauru's opposition