Ardern says strong ties will weather Manus refugee crisis

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand’s relationship with Australia is strong and can withstand any tensions over the Manus Island refugees.

The situation on Manus Island has become increasingly dire, as over 400 refugees continue to refuse to leave a detention centre that has lacked essential services since it was shut down two weeks ago.

Ardern has repeatedly offered to take 150 refugees and asylum seekers from Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, or Nauru. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has so far declined the offer, preferring to try to find a solution with the US.

Opposition leader Bill English has cautioned Ardern on the strong language she has used on the issue, saying New Zealand relied on Australia because it turned back boats that might otherwise head here.

Ardern returned yesterday from her trip to Apec and the East Asia Summit, and said the relationship with Australia was “strong”.

“This relationship has such depth that it rides above any political issue of the day. That continues to be the case. I would certainly characterise my relationship with Malcolm Turnbull as a strong one and a good one.

“New Zealand has always been in a position of advocating for itself, for its position. That’s nothing new. We have a strong relationship.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Win- ston Peters said he was not yet in a position to comment on the substance of the conversations he had with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson while he was overseas.

Ardern added that any notion that it had anything to do with North Korea or Burma was “speculative”.

“We’ve undertaken that as soon as we’re in a position to share the role that potentially our Minister of Foreign Affairs can play in the region going forward, we’ll certainly share it, but at this stage that would be speculative.”

She said she did not know if New Zealand would pursue a trade deal with the US in light of President Donald Trump’s comments about fair and reciprocal trade deals.

“Certainly the statements that were made by the President at Apec suggested he’s seeking bilateral trade relationships.

“We’ll certainly keep advocating New Zealand’s position, but it’s hard to know what the President intends in that regard.”