Canberra is being accused of being disingenuous in granting the first ever visas to former refugees it had detained on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
The two visa recipients were incarcerated for six years on Nauru and Manus and were only transferred to Australia two years ago under now repealed Medevac legislation.
They had been due to appear in court seeking to have their incarcerations declared illegal.
A spokesperson for Nauru and Manus Island refugees, Ian Rintoul, says since coming to Australia the men have been held in appalling conditions.
Mr Rintoul is accusing the home affairs minister Petter Dutton of only granting them visas to avoid an embarassing loss in court and to try and avoid setting an unwanted legal precedent.
He spoke with reporter Dominic Godfrey about the circumstances surrounding the government's granting of the visas.
Australia's Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Photo: Sean Davey / AFP
