Montage:

NAVY FOOTAGE T 0.1.29

NAURU T R.3.41 ONWARDS

They’re labelled illegal, queue-jumpers…people with no right to land on Australia’s shores.

It’s said most Australians don’t want them … and to protect our borders these asylum-seekers must be stopped … towed back to Indonesia or - if their boats sink - jailed on far-flung Pacific islands.

Continue montage theme

Australian soldiers off-load refugees on Manus island

NAURU TR.3.41 – FACES

But what’s not known is that in it’s desperate search for a quick fix before last year’s election – Australia not only bribed Nauru with aid – but as we can now reveal railroaded Papua New Guinea in to agreement that appears to have broken that country’s laws and could topple its Prime Minister

Lawrence Stevens

Secretary-General

Catholic Bishops Conference, PNG

T10.14.28

10.14.28 they are people who have been brought against their will across our borders and locked up at the pleasure of another political system against our constitution against our laws and against conventions we have signed

T1.11.17 or 1.16.30 evan in car

Slowmo past fences signs on fence

T3.15.34-21.10 detention camp – all at an angle

OR

Cleaner shots of camp T4.23.00-29.12

Here we travel secretly to Papua New Guinea to obtain these first pictures of the Manus Island detention Centre …and to reveal how Canberra violated the sovereignty of a needy neighbour to get them there.

John Pundari t12.12.25

Former Foreign Minister

12.10.25 to be belittled in an issue that I felt very important to my people and my country I felt wasn’t right I thought our sovereignty was undermined as an independent country

MAP

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

MANUS ISLAND

Aerials over vast ocean

GVs T1.7.14-9.50

Gradually reveals islands

(upsot dramatic music theme)

Surrounded by a vast isolating ocean – the remote Papua New Guinean outpost of Manus Island is the perfect place to dump unwanted refugees.

Faxes over island viz

Welcome to Manus GVT1.12.45

BLACKS AT WIRE 13.22

For three months we applied to Australian and Papua New Guinean officials for permission to visit the island camp to see for ourselves –we received repeated rejections.

SYNCH RUDDOCK AND EVAN

T20.1.45

20.1.45 you would report that mr bloggs had said to you that one third of people have malaria 50.53 this is a claim that we would test when we were there if we had the opportunity well you’re testing it with me

Evan arrives

SUGGEST USING POVS OF ARRIVING FROM T5.00.31

But taking the government on trust is what the electorate did with the children overboard affair…

JOHN HOWARD

Australian Prime Minister

I certainly don’t want people of that type in Australia.

And when so much secrecy surrounds the Pacific solution, we took it upon ourselves – in the public interest – to use a hidden camera to get the story Australia doesn’t want you to see.

T1.8.25 brief upsot from driver as we drive in to manus

1.8.25 they came in at night at about half past seven you see …

Evan/Ralph and driving povs

T1.00.26

CAN TAKE DRIVING POVS FROM

T5.00.31-4.25

When the first asylum-seekers arrived on Manus Island - Ralph Cabalan drove them from the plane to the detention centre.

He witnessed the violent protest that erupted when they realised they were not in Australia

Starts with Ralph off cam

T1.0.39 starts off-camera – camera swing on him hence the need to cut in a little more on camera

1.0.39 (offcam) they tried to climb the fence and do all sorts of things hang themselves and even get the glasses and tried to cut themselves with the glass /// ??CUT TO 3.55 then they go to the power point and they bash it to pull the wire out // to kill themselves with it

Australia says armed riot police quelled the protest in two days - Mr Cabalan claims the unrest went on for weeks

T/T THEN SYNCH RALPH

1.1.55 // trouble every day with the security as soon as one gets up and grabs hold of something the security’s up there tackling him down and chaining him up to the fence

Best of Naval Base across water

T6.00.29 on sticks across water to base

Or

GVs T1.54.41

(upsot dramatic music)

Today three-hundred and sixty-four asylum-seekers – one-third of them children under 17 – remain locked away in this Navy base… a tiny patch of Papua New Guinea turned in to the dumping ground for what many argue is an Australian problem.

Evan PTC across water from navy base T6.14.24

(Dropped)

6.14.24***14.24 BEST ONE: (evan turns to camera) behind me is lombrum navy base where the asylum seekers are being kept in what can only be described as a high-security jail. // For the locals it might be ok but for anybody from outside the island it’s very hot it’s extremely humid – and I’m told the asylum-seekers are being kept in an area that floods very easily after any heavy rain, 14.43 they’ve already got problems with malaria and when the rainy season starts in august they can expect months of discomfort. (turns back to base) 14.50 (bit of grass in he way).

Approaching camp

Garth – choice here:

T4.19.15 nissen huts in base

T4.55.01 angled shots of checkpoints

(upsot from driving in/or music)

Entering the base to assess conditions is extremely difficult.

The Australian Government has banned all unauthorised foreigners – especially the media – a rule enforced by PNG soldiers and a private security checkpoint .

T1.10.35 or 1.16.30 good shots of EVAN IN REAR-VISION MIRROR then stopped by soldier at 1.10.35

Once inside the base – another layer of strict security - I was stopped from even driving past the area where the asylum-seekers are jailed.

Brief upsot soldier stopping evan 1.10.35 upsot and super soldier

Brief upsot soldier stopping evan:

This road’s off-limits. No car can go up this road. You’ll have to turn around, I’m sorry for this but they’re my orders

Ruddock with ev - backtime

A world away in Sydney, the man responsible for their incarceration tries to deny the obvious.

Synch ruddock TC21.05.55

Super:

Philip Roddock

Australian Minister for Immigration

21.00.55 under the arrangements that we have people are not detained 1.02 with respect minister they cannot leave that camp and I know that for a fact // well let me just say we don’t accept that what is happening here is detention we have arrangements for off-shore processing

THIS IS THE BEST VIZ OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS – see three guys come to wire – children playing behind them – cococunts delivered

**T4.23.00-26.00 inmates at fence

(upsot locals approaching fence)

Contrary to Canberra’s claims – this is a prison –

Detained behind wire fences - guards ensure they cannot leave – and have almost no contact with locals.

Security is so tight we can’t speak to inmates.

BARBED WIRE/FENCES

GRAPHICS OF FAXES

TO OBTAIN**

USE FENCES 4.23.00-26

But confidential faxes from behind the wire suggest disturbing conditions

GRAPHIC OF ARABIC LETTERS – WE CHOSE ONE – HIGHLIGHT AND ISOLATE

**WOMAN’S ME VOICEOVER??

V/O: the heat is scorching…the water is filthy .. we have been introduced to bugs we never knew …we sleep here among snakes and mice

Moslem men in sydney mosque

END OF IRAQI TAPE TWO

After interviews

Among the men receiving these letters – Abu Tbekh is angered by what he reads

Synch ahmed

Iraq tape one 15.15

Male ME V/O ??

15.15 the fax said the temperature was 40 degrees and a third of the detainees were suffering from malaria. Each family lives in a two metre square

SYNCH RUDDOCK

1.46.35

T1.46.35 we’re dealing with a smaller group of people in which two people I believe were diagnosed with malaria and have been treated /// cut to Evan 47.20: I received a letter from inmate there that says one third have malaria …etc how do you feel personally about that /// 47.38 well now I don’t feel what you say is correct

MEN IN MOSQUE

IRAQI – TAPE TWO stay on them after grab

Abu Tbekh embodies what some call the cruelity of Australia’s new hardline policies…

A LITTLE SHIITE UPRISING

Tape H 50.30 shi’ite uprising

Tape (letter I) 10.36 shi’ites bashed – soldier holds gun to head 12.26

(brief upsot Shiite bashing)

Ten years ago Abu helped lead this – the Shi’ite uprising against Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War.

When it failed he and thousands more fled certain death in Saddam’s terrible revenge.

Men in mosque Iraqi – end of tape two

Today Abu and the men in this Sydney Mosque – who all arrived by boat - have all been accepted by Australia as genuine refugees

But their three-year temporary visas bar them from reuniting with their wives and children. .possibly forever - a policy he says creates more boat-people

SYNCH ABU TBEHK

IRAQI T1.9.48

1.9.37 After three years I was still unable to bring my family in and was issued with a renewable temporary visa 9.48 this makes us all lose hope of a final solution to our problem this is what pushed them to travel by sea just to get out of the country. We had the choice between this or us going back . 9.55

Synch ruddock: T20.11.15

20.11.15:

It’s in fact true we /// CUT TO // 11.20 etc … imposed restrictions that were designed deliberately to withhold family reunion from people who come without lawful authority 11.32 does that go forever? 11.35 it goes on for as long as they are temporary residents

As a bit if a breather

Could use a few pretties of Manus Island here T5.2.59 canoes etc

over sound lead of singing from

T5.5.35 or 15.24 stronger

(upsot black-fella singing T5.15.24)

T5.3.30 PALM SUNDAY PROCESSION

(continue singing from procession)

Back on Manus Island Palm Sunday is celebrated just outside the Navy Base.

Many of these people now have work at the detention centre – and afraid of losing their jobs refuse to discuss conditions inside.

(brief upsot singing)

T5.6.00 good clear shots of father Justin leading procession into church

One brave enough to speak is Father Justin Aminio - the priest of the Parish that now covers the detention centre …

He says the separation of families is taking a terrible toll

T5.37.45 synch father justin

5.37.45They are morally depressed and I think when they are deeply depressed emotionally you can see they feel they wish to see changes in their life – what is the next step the next position – is this going to be their whole life?

NAURU REFUFEES

T R 3.41 AND 6.10 FACES

If not their whole life – then a large part of it .…

On the figures so far - most of the boatpeople now on Pacific Islands are genuine refugees – fleeing torture, persecution and death.

But they’re the lucky ones – Australia now admits the main reason for keeping the asylum-seekers off-shore is to keep those who are rejected away from Australia’s appeal system

SYNCH EVAN QUESTION:

20.29.35

29.37 QU: so you’re having it both ways in a way aren’t you – you’re being able to process them in the Australian system and yet they don’t have access to the full legal rights that the Australian system offers them?

29.52 I mean that’s right

29.55 well its that just, for somebody seeking asylum

29.57 well it’s certainly just that they’re able to have their claims put and to have them on the same basis that they’d have them put and determined as they would anywhere else in the world

Port Moresby gvs –

Either ours at T11.00.10-5.54

OR BETTER

File tape E 27.00 Four Corners GVs of Port Morseby

(upsot music theme from top?)

While the Pacific Solution may be in Canberra’s interests – it’s appears anything but for Papua New Guinea – where it now threatens the Prime Minister’s future…and some say has broken the law.

T11.14.21 synch

Patrick Harricknen – lawyer

14.33 The Govt of Papua New Guinea and of course the Australian govt have broken the laws of this country. EW: by? By unlawful detention of the asylum-seekers against the express constitutional requirements of Papua New Guinea

Patrick desk t11.32.59 onwards

Could use GRAPHICS:

LEGAL BRIEF HIGHLIGHTING KEY SECTION – WASH OVER MANUS FENCES?

Patrick Harricknen - a veteran human rights lawyer – is taking the Papua New Guinean government to court for breaking four sections of the Constitution relating to unlawful detention

Synch Patrick 11. 8.32

11.12.56 // In this case you can only detain a person only if he or she commits an offence and whoever is detained has the right to obtain legal aid and this is a case where I’m concerned that the govt who is supposed to enforce the laws is on the other hand breaking the laws itself. 13.19

PNG NATIONAL PARLIAMENT

File tape e26.20 – from Four Corners story – (we have camera tapes)

(breathing with a bit of music)

But it’s here in Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament that John Howard’s Pacific Solution could do its greatest damage to Australia’s struggling neighbour.

File Tape E

Four corners

Big Man politics story

TAPE E.35.55

(Upsot File Tape E: 35.55 )

Three years ago it was the crucial votes controlled by this man - John Pundari – that made Sir Mekere Morauta Prime Minister.

(upsot from file e 35.00 .. in extraordinary scenes)

ABC LIBRARY TAPE:

TAPE A:

16.53.34 MEKERE HUGS PUNDARI IN PARLIAMENT

For his support - the popular king-maker John Pundari was made Foreign Minister…and with Sir Mekere they made a good team

Continue file Tape A at 16.53.34

Or go back to Four Corners

File Tape E 35.55

But the brotherhood was broken the night Sir Mekere agreed - before even consulting his Foreign Minister - to John Howard’s private request to take the boat people.

13.5.27 synch pundari

Super:

John Pundari

Former Foreign Minister, PNG

13.5.27 I only learned of the fact that there was already an agreement reached between our two prime ministers from the delegation that came in from Australia

High Commissioner Nick Warner

File Tape F 17.29

Or with dancers at TAPE G 15.34

That delegation was led by this man - Australia’s High Commissioner in Port Moresby – Nick Warner.

According to Pundari – the Australians insisted he ratify the deal that night before it was put to Cabinet

12.7.31 synch pundari

12.7.31…I believe there were already media reports in Australia that an agreement had already been reached between the Australian govt and the govt of Papua New Guinea 7.46 and that was even before we entered into a formal agreement and that was even before our national executive council considered and approved it

***NODDY ***

12.47.09: How can an Australian tell me that there is an agreement already when my prime minister didn’t tell me when the chief secretary didn’t tell me and I felt I was totally treated with contempt and I said this is a sovereign country I am a minister of a sovereign state?

FILE TAPE E: MORAUTA:

TAPE E.14.40

Legally – it seems - Prime Minister’s can make such deals.

But when Sir Mekere agreed to the Australian prime minister John Howard’s request to expand Papua New Guinea’s intake to 1000 boat people – again without advice from his own Foreign Ministry - John Pundari had had enough.

*GRAPHICS OF LETTER

*OR AUST HIGH COMMISSION

TAPE F.17.29 -

Pundari wrote to the Australian High Commission – opposing the request to on the grounds PNG simply wasn’t ready…

That night he was called by Sir Mekere – and sacked.

Synch pundari: 12.22.30

12.22.30 on an important issue I thought that we should not have been dragged into in the way we were dragged in to it .. 22.34 as a sovereign country I thought that we would have been given enough time to having the issue considered appropriately and properly

FILE TAPE A 16.53.34 MORAUTU IN PARLIAMENT

Might need some stylised morauta here – if we’re running short of file on him

Sir Mekere’s actions raise many questions: Why would the Prime Minister breach cabinet protocol? What inducements or threats did John Howard make?

Did Australia – as with Nauru – bribe Papua New Guinea with aid?

Synch pundari T12.36.28

12.37.10 well at the time the agreement was entered in to png was in desperate need of money … so whether the money came at that time, or whether there was a commitment given, these are some things that I am unable to confirm. I am unable to confirm.

FILE TAPE E 14.40 Morauta

Sir Mekere denies the early release of aid was linked to the deal - Philip Ruddock won’t speak about it.

***REPLACE RUDDOCK SYNCH:

21.10.14

21:10.14 well I’m again not able to comment upon the specific programming issues in relation to Australia’s aid program but it’s true isn’t it I don’t know I’m not able to comment on them.

Over shoulder man typing

T9.27.47

???T9.29.15 close-up of letter to ombudsman on desk – Lawrence typing etc

(upsot Lawrence typing 9.27.47)

Lawrence Stevens – a former Australian trade official – is now the general-secretary of the powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea…

He too is challenging the detention agreement – believing it destabilises Papua New Guinea.

Synch Lawrence stevens

TAPE 9.16.56

Super:

Lawrence Stevens

Catholic Bishops’ Conference, PNG

9.16.56 you get the impression that Australia too has been making policy on the run without looking very carefully at what it’s done the result is – we’ve done something we shouldn’t have done

MANUS ISLAND VISUAL BREATHER – BIT OF HAUNTING MUSIC OVER faces of manusians at main market

GVs Tape One: 34.28

(upsot music theme)

John Howard’s Pacific Solution may have stopped the flow of boatpeople for now – but his legacy for Australia here in the pacific is the image of a big brother – willing to bully and bribe it’s way through local sensitivities.

But the ultimate political price could be paid not by Canberra – but by Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta

Synch Patrick Harrickman T11.31.05

11.31.05 the perception that they will get of Mekere is that he is a puppet …it will damage him definitely because if we view the prime minister of a nation as such people will say that he cannot think and act independently in the interests of Papua New Guinea//

Synch pundari 12.32.08

Well generally throughout the country there was no support for bringing in the asylum-seekers in the first place

Or poverty shots Port Moresby

It’s the interests of the PNG govt most at stake.

After years of corruption and mismanagement Sir Mekere is widely seen as Papua New Guinea’s last hope for stability .. a stability very much in Australia’s interests – but one that now appears undermined by John Howard’s Pacific Solution.