New Zealand officials tell Australia it won’t take Manus Island refugees

Jacinda Ardern says her government would be more likely to take women off Nauru first under any refugee deal, rather than men off Manus Island.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Picture: AP

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her government would be more likely to take women off Nauru first under any refugee deal, rather than men off Manus Island, but denied the country had ruled out accepting male asylum seekers.

“We don’t have any prohibition on single males coming through the process,’’ Ms Ardern said.

A spokesman for Ms Ardern said: “Our consistent position is a preference (for) or a prioritising of women and children so that does not exclude men.

“Our preference would be to take people from Nauru first given that’s where the women and children are.’’

Australian government sources said New Zealand officials have told Australia they are no longer keen to accept asylum seekers from Manus Island despite Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s previous offer to accept detainees from Australian offshore detention.

Ms Ardern’s spokesman said this was “not the government’s position”.

The Courier Mail reported that senior New Zealand departmental officials told Australian officials under the previous Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that New Zealand was not open to resettling single asylum seeker men on Manus Island.

This is despite Ms Ardern previously saying her country would be happy to take refugees from Manus Island and Nauru.

“Obviously New Zealand’s offer to take 150 refugees, those screened to be refugees, continues to stand,” she previously said.

New Zealand has said the offer was for 150 people a year.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Ms Ardern are set to meet in Auckland today for annual talks.

The decision to ban Huawei from future 5G networks as well as the deportations of New Zealand criminals from Australia is also on the agenda.

New Zealand government sources have denied on background that they have a blanket ban on taking refugees from Manus Island but said their “preference” was to take women and children.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand’s official position remained unchanged.

“Our offer to resettle 150 refugees per year off Manus and Nauru is a long-standing one and remains on the table,” Mr Peters said.

Sky News has previously reported, however, on New Zealand documents that reveal the nation would prefer to resettle family units being held on Nauru, as opposed to single men in detention on Manus Island.

Ms Ardern is expected to comment later today.