Refugee deal a failure: Cambodian official

Australia's Cambodian refugee resettlement program has been dubbed a failure by a top Phnom Penh official.

Five refugees have been moved from Nauru to the southeast Asian nation under the deal, but only two remain with three returning to their countries of origin.

"You could say it is a failure but at least we relieved them from the camp," Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan told Al Jazeera's 101 East program.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has blamed the low take-up rates on refugee advocates who were telling people on Nauru not to go to Cambodia.

Cambodia is only accepting refugees who volunteer for the resettlement program.

Mr Dutton denied Australia had expended all the money budgeted for the resettlement deal.

"Nobody has been paid $55 million," he told ABC radio.

"We pay as people go across to Cambodia."

Mr Dutton declined to provide an exact figure spent so far, but said it was in the low millions of dollars.

Mr Phay Siphan told Al Jazeera there had been a plan to build a refugee centre in Cambodia "controlled by the Australian embassy".