The Albanese government does not have a “legitimate objective” in denying fair hearings to those set to be deported to Nauru and could place Australia in breach of international human rights obligations, a Labor-chaired committee has found.

The joint human rights committee’s scrutiny of the law said the changes would “likely exacerbate the underlying human rights concerns” with the regime to off-load more than 350 NZYQ-affected noncitizens to Nauru as part of a $2.5bn deal .

The law, which passed in early September, amended the Migration Act to remove natural justice – access to a fair hearing and to a decision without bias – for noncitizens on a removal pathway.

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It also validates government visa decisions made before the high court’s NZYQ ruling

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