Judge issues eight orders on Manus inspection

 JUSTICE David Cannings made orders yesterday for official government inspection of the Manus detention centre and the living conditions of asylum seekers.

Cannings made eight orders for Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary William Dihm to file and serve a supplementary affidavit on matters in relation to recent incident in at the detention centre.

He ruled out an application by Opposition leader Belden Nama who had sought leave to intervene in the proceeding.

Cannings said the current matter was a different proceeding and Namah should be an assisting party and not a hindrance.

He gave direction for Public Solicitor Frazer Pitpit and his lawyers and officers to be afforded by relevant authorities to have reasonable access to the asylum seekers in Manus.

“Access shall not be denied except for valid security reasons or with the leave of the court; and for the avoidance of doubt: this order is sufficient authority for the public solicitor and his lawyers and officers to be granted access to any transferee (any asylum seeker) and it is not necessary for the Chief Migration Officer or any other official to grant permission for such access.