7 years ago
LIBERALS CALL FOR TURNBULL TO CONSIDER NEW ZEALAND’S RESETTLEMENT OFFER
SHAYNE NEUMANN MP
Malcolm Turnbull is being called out by his backbench over his failure to show leadership when it comes to New Zealand’s offer to resettle eligible refugees from Australian-funded offshore regional processing centres.
Liberal MP Kevin Andrews has said Turnbull “should not rule out any particular solution” including the offer from the New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern.
“On the New Zealand issue, we should give consideration to what New Zealand is offering. The reality is we have an intractable problem at the present time. Yes, the United States are going to take some of these people, but there’s still a large number there.”
Kevin Andrews
Sunday Agenda, Sunday 5 November 2017
Manus Island and Nauru were set up as regional transit processing facilities but have become places of indefinite detention because of Turnbull’s failure to negotiate other third country resettlement options.
There are strong similarities between New Zealand’s constructive offer and the US refugee resettlement agreement already in place.
Labor will never let the people smugglers back in business and any agreement with New Zealand must have appropriate conditions to ensure people smugglers do not exploit vulnerable people.
The Liberals know Turnbull needs to get on with the job and negotiate third country resettlement options to end the desperate situation on Manus Island, although it’s clear there’s only one job Turnbull cares about – saving his own.