NAURU — The Australian government allocated $971.6 million for the offshore management of unauthorized maritime arrivals in the 2025-26 financial year as new survey data revealed severe shortages of food and clean water for asylum seekers held on Nauru. Approximately 100 individuals remain on the island awaiting processing under a system that prohibits resettlement in Australia.

Of the total offshore expenditure, the United States private prisons operator MTC Australia will receive $791.2 million over five years to operate the offshore processing center. International Health and Medical Services will receive $106.5 million over three years to provide medical services to people awaiting processing.

The Asylum Seeker Resource center surveyed 78 people between February and April to assess living conditions on the island. Seventy-seven of the 78 surveyed individuals stated the Australian government’s $260 fortnightly payment was insufficient to prevent hunger.

The fortnightly stipend was increased from $230 to $260 in December 2025. The funds are intended to cover food, drinking water, supplies, phone credit and internet service for those held offshore.

Access to clean water emerged as a critical concern in the findings. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents reported they did not have access to clean drinking water. Nauru has no rivers or freshwater lakes and relies primarily on rainwater harvesting and reverse osmosis desalination.

Rakib, an asylum seeker, described the condition of water storage facilities on the island. "The water tank was not clean for the last two and a half years," Rakib said. "As we don’t have money, we cannot buy good-quality water."

Another asylum seeker said, "I think it would be better if they kill us, or if we die," adding, "Because, you know, like when you die, you get peace."

Jana Favero, deputy chief executive of the Asylum Seeker Resource center, condemned the conditions revealed by the survey. "Even the most basic standards of safety and human dignity are not being met, and there is no excuse," Favero said. "We know we are responsible and that this system destroys people’s physical and mental health, and now we have evidence that people are also being deprived of enough food to eat."

The financial strain extends beyond food and water to essential communications. A minimum 28GB monthly data plan with Digicel costs $112. This expense represents approximately 20% of the monthly allowance provided to asylum seekers.

The high cost of living on Nauru complicates efforts to stretch the limited stipend. More than 90% of food consumed in Nauru is imported. Vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums and onions cost approximately $18 per kilogram. These prices are up to three times higher than similar goods in Australia.

Asylum seekers awaiting refugee determination on Nauru are not permitted to work. Unable to earn additional income, some attempted to supplement their rations through other means but faced obstacles. "We bought a fishing net to try and supplement the food but our nets were stolen and broken three times," an unnamed asylum seeker said. "We had put the net outside due to the smell, and local Nauruans came and stole it."

The 2025-26 offshore management expenditure equates to approximately $9.6 million per person. The majority of refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru originate from China, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Most individuals in the group attempted to arrive in Australia by boat after 2023.

Under Australian government policy, asylum seekers processed on Nauru will not be permanently resettled in Australia even if found to be refugees. Refugees found on Nauru must wait for Australia to strike a deal with another country for resettlement. The offshore processing center on Nauru was empty in mid-2023.

The disparity between the $971.6 million allocated for offshore management and the reported inability of asylum seekers to secure basic necessities reflects ongoing scrutiny of the allocation of resources within the regional processing framework. With the population of Nauru at approximately 13,000, the presence of around 100 asylum seekers represents a portion of the community, yet they remain isolated from the broader Australian society and prohibited from working.

The findings highlight the ongoing nature of the offshore processing policy, which resumed operations after the center was empty in mid-2023. As the government maintains that resettlement in Australia is not an option for these individuals, the reliance on third-country deals and the current living conditions on Nauru define the immediate future for those awaiting determination.