The Nauruan government is revoking visa-less travel for Australian and New Zealand passport holders, saying that ABC employees “dishonestly” entering the country are to blame.
Earlier today, SBS reported that Nauru was revoking visas indefinitely, after Nauru Airlines check-in staff at Brisbane airport informed passengers on last night’s 1am flight that their visas were no longer valid, and they were turned back.
The Nauruan government is now refuting that report on Twitter, claiming that it is simply forcing Australian and NZ citizens to apply for a visa to visit as a tourist (previously unnecessary) after the ABC “dishonestly entered [the] country as [a] tourist and failed to declare they were media.”
“Every nation has requirements that hose entering must do so honestly,” they wrote in a series of now-deleted tweets. “Sadly deceptive behaviour from [the] ABC disadvantages others.”
This particular tweet is now somewhat ironic:
Media -please stop calling processing centres “detention centres”. No one is locked up. All free to come & go & be part of community #auspol
— Republic of Nauru (@Republic_Nauru) February 17, 2016
In January 2013, the Nauruan government increased visa application fees for media from $200 to $8,000, a non-refundable amount even in the likely case that the visa would be rejected; in an 18-month period, the only Australian journo permitted to visit Nauru was Chris Kenny.
Nauru have promised a statement soon, but just confirmed on Twitter that “no existing visas for Australians working in Nauru” will be affected.
Nauru Airlines confirmed to PEDESTRIAN.TV that affected passengers will have their tickets refunded, but would not say how many people that was.
More to come.
Photo: Getty.
