New Zealand refugee deal ‘a possibility’, PM Malcolm Turnbull says
AUTHORITIES have reportedly started removing fences around the Manus Island detention centre, as Malcolm Turnbull is open to a refugee deal with New Zealand.
MALCOLM Turnbull has left the door open to a deal with New Zealand to resettle refugees, as images have emerged of officials removing the fences around the Manus Island detention centre.
The photos and short video footage, taken by a refugee at the centre, appear to show men in high-vis clothing working around the fence line. The men are reportedly Papua New Guinea authorities, as well as a possible Australian.
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The news comes three weeks into a stand-off between hundreds of asylum seekers refusing to leave the closed Manus detention centre and Papua New Guinea authorities.
Prime Minister Turnbull said today a deal with New Zealand could be a possibility in the future but the one-off resettlement agreement with the United States needed to be completed first.
“I’ve had discussions with the New Zealand Prime Minister about it,” he told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
“They’ve made an offer to take 150 but they understand our priority is to complete the American arrangements, which of course covers 1250.
“Then we can have another discussion.
“But the priority clearly is to complete the American arrangements because obviously it's a lot more people.”
Pushed on the prospect of a deal, Mr Turnbull said: “It’s a possibility that could happen in the future but it is ... no near term prospect at all.”
NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has publicly spoken out against the conditions the men in the Manus detention centre are facing.
Ms Ardern has spoken to Mr Turnbull twice about a potential resettlement deal since being sworn in as Prime Minister.
She then announced this week that New Zealand will $2.7 million on essential services for refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.
“We intend to work with Papua New Guinea and other agencies like the International Red Cross to financially support them with any additional needs that they may need to be met while those refugees remain on the island,” she announced in Manila on Tuesday night.
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