Despite the take-up of the resettlement offer, nine years after it was first made, the architecture of Australia’s offshore detention policy remains

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After nine years, having borne witness to an immeasurable toll on human life, having poured hundreds of millions of dollars into a failing system, and after repeated international condemnation, Australia has belatedly accepted New Zealand’s resolute offer – an almost nagging entreaty – to resettle 150 refugees from Australia’s punitive offshore processing system, every year, for three years.

The offer has been on the table since 2013 – politely but persistently put by three New Zealand prime ministers to five Australian ones.

This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.