Senate Exposes Alleged Corruption in Nauru's Leadership
Serious allegations of corruption involving Nauru's current president, David Adeang, and his predecessor, Lionel Aingimea, have been dramatically revealed in Australia's Senate. Greens Senator David Shoebridge presented previously unreleased documents from Australia's financial intelligence agency, Austrac, suggesting both leaders engaged in suspicious financial activities involving millions of dollars of Australian taxpayer money.
The Austrac Report: A Trail of Suspicious Transactions
During a late-night Senate session on Tuesday, Senator Shoebridge read directly from the confidential Austrac report into the official parliamentary record. The document detailed a "rapid movement of large volume and value of funds" linked to President Adeang, prompting suspicions of "corruption and money laundering."
The report specifically highlighted transactions occurring between January and September 2020, totalling over $2 million in combined credits and over $1 million in combined debits. The individuals named in the suspicious activity reports include President Lionel Aingimea, his wife Ingrid Aingimea, his brother David Aingimea, and MP David Adeang.
According to the intelligence, Adeang received funds from a company called 1402 LRC Car Rentals and Construction, which is associated with Aingimea's wife. This company held subcontracts with Canstruct International, a Brisbane firm that was the primary contractor for Australia's offshore processing centre on Nauru. The report itemised 15 Osko payments to Adeang, three of which came directly from the Aingimea-linked company, totalling $113,797.
A $2.5 Billion Deal Signed Amid Corruption Suspicions
Senator Shoebridge levelled a stark accusation against the Albanese government, claiming it proceeded with a massive $2.5 billion agreement with President Adeang to resettle over 350 individuals from the NZYQ cohort despite being aware of the Austrac findings. The NZYQ cohort comprises non-citizens who cannot be returned to their home countries, often due to fears of persecution.
"Let me put this clearly, the Australian government has, at all times, known that the current Nauruan president and key members of his government are seriously corrupt, and they still signed a $2.5bn deal with him," Shoebridge told the Senate. He argued that "corruption follows cruelty and it breeds in secrecy," directly linking the allegations to Australia's offshore detention policy.
The Austrac report also noted that Adeang had been investigated in 2015 by the Australian Federal Police for alleged bribery related to phosphate mining in Nauru, indicating a history of scrutiny.
Government Response and Ongoing Secrecy
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for the home affairs minister dismissed the concerns, stating, "The government takes advice from our security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, not from the Greens political party."
Subsequently, the government commissioned a review by former defence chief Dennis Richardson in 2023. While his report found that some contractors were suspected of drug smuggling and weapons trafficking, it concluded the government "may have had no option but to enter into contracts with these companies" due to the high-risk nature of offshore processing.
The Australian government continues to maintain secrecy around its dealings with Nauru, refusing to disclose the details of the $2.5 billion resettlement agreement or the current offshore processing contract. This lack of transparency, combined with the fact that Nauru has no free press and restricts journalist access, has fuelled consistent criticism and calls for greater accountability.
