Refugee status determination
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Even with the unfair refugee status determination process on Manus Island, the percentage of decisions (initial and final) recognising these people as refugees was 71%, at 31 October 2017. These statistics are no longer being reported by the Department. Of those still on PNG as of 18 February 2019, 79% (456) were recognised refugees. Of those still in Nauru as of 18 February 2019, 76% were recognised refugees and a further 75 had not had their status determined.
The making of decisions took a long time to start, and increased very quickly in the first quarter of 2016. Since June 2017, there have been no new decisions.
Nauru
The process on Nauru has reportedly been much fairer, and this is reflected also in the very high number of decisions recognising them as refugees: 1,062 positive decisions, with only 154 negative decisions (as at 31 October 2017). These statistics are no longer being updated by the Department. As of 22 October 2018, 83% of those still on Nauru (821 people) had been recognised as refugees, while 13% were still waiting for final determinations.
Similarly to Manus, the processing on Nauru rapidly increased in August 2015. There has been relatively little change since 2016.
