Dutton warning to New Zealand over relocating refugees
New Zealand may ‘damage its relationship’ with Australia if it chooses to take Manus Island refugees.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has warned New Zealand it may damage its relationship with the government if it chooses to take Manus Island refugees without the approval of Australia.
Mr Dutton said New Zealand and Papua New Guinea “would have to think through” the impact it would have on their relationship with Australia if they made a unilateral agreement to resettle refugees from the offshore detention centre.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has put pressure on the Turnbull government to accept its offer to resettle 150 refugees from Manus Island. The PNG Supreme Court ruled last week the asylum-seekers and refugees were probably the responsibility of PNG, opening the door for an agreement to resettle refugees without permission from Australia.
“We need to be very careful about what any change would mean to people-smugglers marketing in Indonesia and elsewhere,’’ Mr Dutton said.
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