Australian Immigration to compensate wrongfully fired Save the Children workers in Nauru

Australia’s Immigration Department has entered a secret compensation deal with Save the Children for the sacking of some of its Nauru staff who were wrongfully accused of encouraging refugees to self-harm. It acknowledged that it did not provide detailed reasons for the workers’ removal.

Ten Save the Children staff members were fired in October 2014, with nine deported, amid allegations that they were coaching asylum seekers to harm themselves and protest.

The Immigration has now acknowledged that it did not give the fired staff detailed reasons, though the Australian government immediately called for an investigation. It also said it has commissioned two independent reviews – one by former integrity commissioner Philip Moss, and the latest headed by professor Christopher Doogan – with both concluding that the government’s evidence against the SCA staff were unwarranted.

As a result, the Immigration has agreed to enter into a confidential financial settlement with SCA. It is understood that the undisclosed financial amount was made to Save the Children, and not to the individual workers who were fired.

“The Department also recognises that SCA has suffered detriment for which – to adopt the words of Professor Doogan – the payment of money cannot be adequate compensation,” the statement reads.

It continues, “Although SCA is no longer providing services for the Department on Nauru, the Department affirms SCA’s good standing with it and acknowledges that at the time of the removal direction and subsequently, it had no reason to cause doubt to be cast on SCA’s reputation.”

Save the Children director of policy and public affairs, Mat Tinkler, welcomed the Immigration’s decision to compensate the organisation.

“It is a relief,” he was quoted by the ABC as saying. “This has been a very difficult chapter in our organisation and we’re very pleased to reach agreement with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection today.”

He added, “We have been in touch with the workers to let them know this has happened. This was a very difficult and traumatic experience for the staff; they are all now pursuing their own claims against the Government.”

The Immigration’s admission comes only a few days after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton blamed advocates for encouraging two refugees to self-harm on the island.