While the Gillard government and opposition slug it out over asylum seeker policy, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Adagold Aviation has won 56, or two-thirds, of the 87 charter flight contracts let by Immigration this year. Since 2010, it has earned $24 million flying detainees from Christmas Island to the mainland.
Political impasse on boat arrivals
Leading charities are also securing contracts for torture and trauma counselling.
The Australian Red Cross has contracts worth about $85 million over two years for services that include helping asylum seekers with bridging visas to find accommodation and work. One of Australia's biggest foster carers, Life Without Barriers, secured $34 million for services to unaccompanied minors arriving at Christmas Island.
Meanwhile, a three-hour meeting failed to end the political impasse on processing yesterday.
"While agreement was not reached, we have not shut the door on further discussion, there is more work to do on various matters," Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said after meeting Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop and opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison.
The government made its first contact with Nauru about reopening the mothballed detention centre there as part of a compromise. Mr Bowen said another meeting could be held within weeks.As the politicians argued yesterday, the 10-year-old girl who became the human face of last weekend's asylum-seeker boat tragedy - Atena Hardani - had a tearful reunion with her father, Mohammad.
They are now all that remains of their family; her mother and sister drowned.
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