The United Nations Refugee Agency says the Australian government has reneged on a commitment to settle offshore detainees with family in Australia.
The agency said it supported Australia's deal with the U.S. to take some of about 2000 refugees detained on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island on the clear understanding that those with family in Australia would ultimately be allowed to join them.
The agency's assistant high commissioner Volker Turk told the ABC that following meetings with the Australian immigration minister and senior government officials last year the UN agreed to facilitate the deal.
Mr Turk said the UN did so on the basis that it would be able to request Australian settlement for about 36 refugees.
"We went into this agreement on the understanding that indeed Australia would be part of the solution for a handful compelling humanitarian cases with strong family links to Australia" he said.
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton Photo: AAP
A spokesperson for the Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton said the government had never changed its position that refugees on Manus Island and Nauru would not be allowed to enter Australia.
"The position of the Coalition Government has been clear and consistent: those transferred to RPCs will never settle in Australia," she said.