New Zealand prime minister John Key has opened the door to accepting 37 asylum seeker children destined for Nauru, offering a solution to the current immigration standoff.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull this week, Key said it was “potentially possible” for New Zealand to accept any genuine refugees from Australia under the agreement he struck with former prime minister Julia Gillard.
There has been widespread concern and outrage in Australia that the government is planning to send back these people – including 37 babies, 50 children and about 160 adults – who were transferred to Australia primarily to receive medical support unavailable in Nauru and Manus Island.
Doctors, teachers, church leaders and advocates have spoken out against the imminent move, and there have been large public protests across Australia, as well as a big campaign on social media.
Key said the offer had originally been made because it was “sensible and compassionate”.
“Historically, the Australians have said no but it is part of the 750 allocation that we have and if they wanted us to take people then, subject to them meeting the criteria, the New Zealand government would be obliged to do that because we’ve given that commitment that we’d do so,” Key said.
When asked if this included the children headed for Nauru, he said, “That’s potentially possible but it would need to fit within the criteria that they are refugees as defined by the broader category that we take.”
In 2013, Mr Key and Ms Gillard agreed that New Zealand would resettle 150 refugees a year from the Nauru or Manus Island detention centres.
Upon coming to power, former prime minister Tony Abbott effectively rejected the arrangement, saying the government’s message to people smugglers had to be “crystal clear”.
So far Turnbull has sidestepped questions about whether the federal government will accept a New Zealand offer.
Free the Children of Nauru Facebook
Source
Additional reading- Nauru Children – HRC urges NZ Government to do Right Thing
- Turnbull coy on NZ offer to take asylum seekers
- The Press: New Zealand should extend hand of compassion to Nauru refugees
News category: New Zealand, Top Story.
