Culture

A Current Affair Has Been Given Exclusive Access To Nauru. Yes, Really

A rare night off for shonky plumbers, dodgy landlords and neighbours from hell.

by Courtney Fry  19 June 2016

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On Monday night we will be given a glimpse into the world of a refugee detained in immigration camps in Nauru. Not through the eyes of a trusted news source, however, but the same program that calls out dodgy landlords, shonky plumbers, and neighbours from hell.

A Current Affair

Extraordinarily, A Current Affair is that program. Yep, a show that so many find to be little short of disaster porn – old people yelling at clouds, reporters chasing after people, and toeing the line of being ethically and morally bad – has gained rare access to Nauru and the detention centre that has been in and out of the media since its opening in 2001, closure in 2007, and reopening in 2012.

“We’ll take you inside the Australian-run regional processing centre,” a statement from Channel 9 read. “It marks the very first time that a television crew has been granted access to the controversial facility.”

Despite ACA claiming they had “exclusive access” that will “stun Australia”, there are reports emerging from the island that the crew were escorted by Nauru government officials and police, controlling what they could and could not see.

Human rights lawyer George Newhouse spoke yesterday with Guardian Australia about his concern that what we’re going to be shown is nothing more than a “papier mâché front” of the centre, masking the true horrors that lie just behind the curtains.

Nauru is incredibly wary of foreigners entering the country, and with a complicated visa application that costs $8000 (which is not refundable), it’s obvious as to why there haven’t been any other attempts to enter by media beyond The Australian sending Chris Kenny in 2015.

The “must-watch” episode of A Current Affair will air on Channel 9 at 7pm tomorrow night. Meanwhile in Sydney today a peaceful refugee protest rally was held at the city’s town hall. The Chalk Your Support rally has been supported and launched by City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore. Despite the rain, the demonstration packed out Sydney Town Hall, with hundreds of people declaring that refugees are welcome here.

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Courtney Fry is a Sydney-based writer who has had her words in The Vocal, PagesDigital, LUSH Cosmetics, and other places. She’s currently working on Sad Grrrls Festival, has a soft spot for cheeseboards and dog parks, and tweets over at @courtwhip.