Ardern seeks Manus talks
NEW Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern should “proceed with caution” when criticising Australia’s handling of refugees on Manus Island, the opposition’s foreign affairs spokesman says.
Ms Ardern has blasted Australia’s handling of the issue as unacceptable as she seeks another meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the East Asia summit this week.
Ms Ardern has continued to push NZ’s offer to accept 150 refugees and asylum seekers from Australia’s offshore detention centres since her first face-to-face meeting with her Australian counterpart in Sydney a week ago.
But National’s Gerry Brownlee said it was “surprising she’s decided to go so hard on the Australians”.
Ms Ardern says her government made the offer to accept 150 refugees “because we saw a great need”.