Several government ministers suggested “paedophiles and murderers” would make their way from Manus Island and Nauru to Australia after Labor and the crossbench combined to pass a bill giving doctors more power on medical transfers.
But that strategy has been largely ditched in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings.
After re-opening the Christmas Island detention centre in March, with the prime minister making a personal visit, the government’s now planning to close it by July, most likely without a single asylum seeker setting foot on the island.
A month ago, the Coalition was gearing up for an election fought on border policy, warning of an influx of asylum seekers.
