The Green Party is challenging Prime Minister John Key to tell New Zealanders what his next step will be, following his failure, over the weekend to secure any meaningful concessions on Kiwis detained in Australia.
The Green Party is challenging Prime Minister John Key to tell New Zealanders what his next step will be, following his failure, over the weekend to secure any meaningful concessions on Kiwis detained in Australia.
Malcom Turnbull’s visit to New Zealand over the weekend yielded no reprieve for New Zealanders currently being detained or facing deportation. His announcement that those whose visa appeals are being processed can come to New Zealand to await the outcome is likely to be of little comfort for people fighting to be with families living in Australia.
“John Key must not give up defending New Zealanders, and others, from mistreatment across the ditch,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.
“Despite John Key talking up Malcolm Turnbull’s visit as a chance to foster the ANZAC relationship and improve the situation for detainees, the Aussie PM slammed the door in his face.
“The question for John Key today is, what’s next? What is the National Government’s next step to ensure that Australia stops its campaign of abuse against New Zealanders resident in Australia?
“Close relationships, like the one between Australia and New Zealand, should be based on mutual respect, not on the smaller party being abused or disregarded by the larger one.
“Stories that have emerged of families being broken apart over historic convictions for relatively minor crimes, a tetraplegic deported after being jailed for self-medicating with controlled painkillers, show the need for John Key to demand real action from his so called ‘good friend’ Malcolm Turnbull.
“After the failure over the weekend, New Zealanders need to know what John Key’s next course of action will be,” Mr Shaw said.
