Some of the detainees in Australia’s offshore detention facility on Nauru, in the South Pacific, have already been told they will be sent to Cambodia once they are granted refugee status, according to Australian national public broadcaster the ABC.

The ABC reported yesterday that it “understands some family groups … have been told their future is in Cambodia”.

Australia’s immigration minister, Scott Morrison, denied such information had been given.

“The minister has been advised no such messaging has been provided by the Australian government to transferees at Nauru,” a spokesperson said, adding an agreement with Cambodia had not yet been reached.

The report comes after a post on what is purported to be Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Facebook page earlier this week suggested that Cambodia may be close to signing off on a deal to resettle more than 1,000 refugees held on Nauru.