Ministerial Submission MS24-001370 Claim Of Public Interest Immunity On Questions From The Senate Standing Committee On Legal And Constitutional Affairs Over Material Related To Details Of…

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This ministerial submission from September 2024 recommends claiming public interest immunity (PII) to withhold details about asylum seekers in regional processing on Nauru. Senator Shoebridge sought information during Senate Budget Estimates about individuals transferred since September 2023, requesting breakdown by gender, country of origin, ethnicity, arrival dates, and age range. Home Affairs initially provided only the total number: 96 unauthorised maritime arrivals as of 27 June 2024. The Department declined further specifics, arguing that small population numbers could risk identifying individuals and potentially compromise protection outcomes or regional processing options. The submission recommends the Minister sign a letter to the Senate President formally claiming PII to avoid disclosing country of origin, ethnicity, and demographic details of the Nauru cohort.