Nauru

Lawyers for the Somali woman are pleading with the Australian government to bring her to Australia so she can have an abortion because the United Nations says the procedure is illegal in Nauru.

They have reportedly received no reply from either Australia's Prime Minister or the Immigration Minister.

George Newhouse from Shine lawyers says the woman says she was raped in July and time is running out.

The woman, "Abyan" (not her real name) is one of two female Somali refugees who have requested help from Australia after being raped on the island. Last week the ABC's 7.30 broadcast distressing footage of the other victim, a 26-year-old woman known as "Namja" (not her real name), calling police for help after her rape - she says it took police four hours to answer her plea.

Dutton told the ABC the Government was in discussions with parties other than Cambodia, which he said remained committed to resettlement despite "undermining" from refugee advocates.

“We're working and have been for a long period of time working on other bilateral options," he said.

“We have Cambodia available as an option and it is difficult when we've got probably well intentioned refugee advocates back here who are messaging up to these people on Nauru, saying 'don't accept any offer'.

Nauru's Department of Justice and Border Control posted a notice on Friday saying Open Centre arrangements at the asylum seeker detention centre would be expanded to allow asylum seekers freedom of movement 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The government says it will introduce legislation at the next sitting of parliament to enshrine the arrangements in law.

Previously asylum seekers had to abide by strict curfews.

64-year-old Rosavena Bop says she received a letter signed by the finance minister, David Adeang, last month saying she would no longer receive her payment because she attended protests outside parliament in June.

She says she was never arrested or charged for attending the protest, and the decision to cancel her pension came as a complete surprise.

Ms Bop says she will struggle without her pension, but has no regrets about supporting the MPs for her district of Meneng, who have been suspended from parliament for over a year.

The competition was launched to offer Pacific design talent the opportunity to help design the company’s new retail, corporate and casual uniforms.  

“In support of the regions growing creative and Fashion industries we are offering Pacific based Designers a chance to design our uniforms and deliver us with a design that will embody or signify all Pacific Islanders” commented Katie Taylor, Head of Marketing, Digicel Asia Pacific.

The Government of the Nauru issued the ban on transshipping in its waters outside its port, and is calling on other Pacific Island Nations to do the same. A regular industry practice that is largely unmonitored, transshipping involves fishing vessels - longliners - transferring their catch to ‘motherships’ to be taken and sold in far-away markets. This means that boats can stay out at sea for years, evading checks on their fishing practices and licenses, and the treatment of their crew.

“We are still tracking the Shuen De Ching No.888 and we have supplied all our information to the nations where the ship might pull into their ports, including Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Fiji.

“We think it is vital for Pacific nations to investigate this ship to show that illegal fishing will not be tolerated, particularly as the region tries to develop a sustainable fisheries industry,” said Lagi Toribau, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Global Tuna campaigner from aboard Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship.

New Zealand recently halted more than a million dollars worth of aid to Nauru's justice sector over concerns regarding its integrity.

Nauru has accused New Zealand of bullying.

Mr McCully says he has indicated he wants to meet with David Adeang while both are in Port Moresby for the Pacific Islands Forum.

He says Mr Adeang has yet to return his calls.

The leaders of the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu caught up on Monday before the wider 16 nation Pacific Island Forum leaders summit in Papua New Guinea later this week.

They issued a special declaration on climate change that demanded the world limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and that countries uphold the principle of polluter pays.