Analysis
MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Oct. 30, 2015) – The government of the small island nation of Nauru recently made some promises about implementing more relaxed arrangements for the housing of asylum seekers and faster processing of their claims.
On October 5, 2015, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie responded to what he called the "never-ending madness" on Nauru, stating that "[the] Republic of Nauru is virtually a failed state ...".
Experts considered Somalia in the 1990s to be a failed state and some of them have argued that third party countries can legally intervene into the affairs of 'failed states'.
But as difficult as things may be on Nauru, are they really that bad? ABC Fact Check takes a closer look.
What do the politicians say?
ABC Fact Check contacted Mr Wilkie to ask him what he understood to be the criteria for a "failed state" and why he believed Nauru was "virtually" one.
He said that "there is no...