Albanese defends $2.5bn Nauru deal as transparency advocates warn taxpayer dollars could fuel ‘kleptocracy’

Australia’s deal with the Nauruan government to forcibly resettle non-citizens without a valid visa on the island for 30 years is under renewed scrutiny. Photograph: Dominic Giannini/AP

Anthony Albanese has defended the government’s new $2.5bn resettlement deal with Nauru as “entirely appropriate” after allegations against the country’s president of “money laundering and corruption” aired in parliament this week.

Transparency advocates have warned Australian taxpayers could be fuelling a “kleptocracy” on Nauru amid the allegations against some of its senior politicians, calling for a royal commission into Australia’s offshore processing regime.