Lawyers have asked for a second deadline extension to provide some former Manus Island detainees with their share in a $70 million class action, citing a "messy process".
About 96 per cent - or $67 million - of Australia's largest human rights class action settlement has been distributed to about 1700 former detainees
The entire sum is expected to be distributed in the coming two to three weeks, other than an amount of about $250,000.
That figure relates to a group of seven former detainees who have not provided bank details.
On Friday, law firm Slater and Gordon asked the Supreme Court of Victoria for a 21-day extension to allow administrators extra time to finalise payments, claiming the group of seven had been difficult to contact.
The firm also asked for instructions for managing the claims of former detainees who wanted to register despite having missed the 2017 deadline, or who wanted to opt-in after having previously opted-out.
Barrister Melanie Szydzik said several attempts had been made to contact the group of seven.
"It's quite a messy process getting payment to a number of this group," she said.
"There does need to be some flexibility with process given there are so many challenges."
If allowed, it will be the second deadline extension granted by the court.
Justice Cameron Macaulay said the "rules for distribution" had been already determined, and extra time had been provided for people to be added to the claim.
Justice Macaulay, who said lawyers and the court should not "shift the goal posts" to make things easier, is expected to deliver his decision on Monday.
The class action was settled by the Australian government and operators of the now-closed offshore immigration detention centre in 2017 without any admission of liability.
The former detainees have received between a few thousand dollars and almost $100,000 each, mainly for false imprisonment following a Papua New Guinea court ruling.
Australian Associated Press
