Ambassador ‘never been to Nauru’

NAURU – Australia’s ambassador for people smuggling, Andrew Goledzinowsk, has never travelled to Nauru in the two years since his appointment, freedom of information documents show.

When announcing ambassador Goledzinowsk would be appointed in 2014, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop highlighted the role he would play in the international elements of Australia’s asylum seeker policies, the ABC reports.

In a statement, when he was announced in the position, she described it as “an important role in promoting effective and practical international cooperation to counter people smuggling in support of Operation Sovereign Borders”.

On Monday, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told the ABC the Government’s immigration policy included “getting people off Manus and Nauru, starting with the families, and we will tell you shortly the detail”.

The Foreign Minister now said ambassador Goledzinowsk’s role also included helping to resettle the asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus in Papua New Guinea.

“The ambassador for people smuggling and human trafficking’s role is to promote practical international cooperation and to negotiate resettlement arrangements with third countries,” Julie Bishop said.

“For example, ambassador Goledzinowski has been to Papua New Guinea a number of times since his appointment for these purposes.”

Goledzinowski has been to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea twice since his appointment, the ABC reports.

During his time as ambassador, Nauru has had an election and changed its detention centre to an “open facility”.

The Department of Foreign Affairs’ records show no one in the role has been to Nauru since 2010.

There are 396 asylum seekers on Nauru and 873 on Manus Island.

However, the foreign minister said previous ambassadors for people smuggling have had more responsibility for Nauru.

“The Nauru arrangement was successfully negotiated by a previous ambassador and implementation of this arrangement is the responsibility of Department of Immigration and Border Protection,” Bishop said.

Most of Australia’s 120 ambassadors are responsible for a particular country or group of countries such as the OECD.

However, the ambassador for people smuggling and human trafficking is responsible for a specific policy area.