Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Australians’ release from Papua delayed until next week

Posted at 22:29 on 19 June, 2009 UTC

A supporter of five Australians detained in Papua for the past nine months says the group could leave Indonesia by Monday after earlier being told they would be freed this week.

The five North Queenslanders were arrested last September for flying their small aircraft into Papua without visas or flight clearance.

The editor of Torres Strait News, Mark Bousen, says after being told twice before that they could leave Papua only for the decision to change, the group remains nervous that the situation could change again.

But he says it seems they could leave within a few days.

“A lot of the paperwork has been cleared now. They’re just waiting on the odd bit now. It seems that everyone’s been very co-operative: the Indonesian officials, the Australian bureaucracy at long last seem to be very proactive - they are very keen to have this case resolved and there seems to be a sense of co-operation between the two governments to have the five home as soon as possible.”

Mark Bousen