Nauru dependent on refugees - academic

An academic says Nauru's economic dependence on detaining refugees could be making its government uneasy about recent evacuations. 

Media reports in Australia have alleged Nauru has blocked medical evacuations of refugees ordered by Australia's Federal Court.

But the Nauru government says it would never prevent the evacuation of any person whose genuine medical needs cannot be met on the island.

Political scientist Binoy Kampmark from Melbourne's RMIT says Nauru has been incentivised to keep the refugees.