Nauru bars QC team from asylum case

Nauru has appointed an unqualified legal team to take on Australian Government lawyers in a hearing aimed at freeing asylum seekers held in detention on the Pacific island.

The local paralegal counsel have been appointed in place of a high-powered Australian legal team barred from boarding a flight to Nauru on Sunday night when the island's Government withdrew their visas. Lawyers led by prominent Melbourne QC Julian Burnside had wanted to challenge the validity of visas issued by the Nauru Government to asylum seekers.

The paralegals will be pitted against Australian barristers representing the Nauruan and Australian Governments, who were allowed to travel to the island.