English offers Ardern refugee ‘advice’
Jacinda Ardern’s reaction to the Manus Island refugee issue is ‘‘out of proportion’’, Bill English says.
The National Party leader has offered the prime minister ‘‘advice’’ over the situation.
English said pushing hard on the issue could make it difficult to achieve consensus on other issues, especially those concerning Kiwis in Australia.
‘‘You need a reasonably constructive relationship to be able to make headway with the Australians,’’ he said on Breakfast yesterday. ‘‘They’re bigger; they don’t have to listen. Particularly, if you’re asking for something from them and you can’t offer them much.’’
New Zealand did not have to choose between ‘‘sucking up or telling them off’’ and Ardern should be ‘‘reasonable’’ and take the middle ground, he said.
New Zealand needed to make its view clear but in a way that meant the two governments could continue to work together, English said.
The trans-Tasman issue of the resettlement of the Manus Island refugees has continued to bubble away since Ardern took office.
Early in November, ahead of her first meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Ardern reconfirmed New Zealand’s offer to resettle up to 150 Manus Island refugees.
The situation has become more urgent during recent months as some of the refugees refused to leave the Papua New Guinea detention centre, which was mothballed by the Australian Government.
Turnbull has repeatedly turned down New Zealand’s offer, saying priority would be give to a resettlement deal with the United States.
Ardern and Australia’s Labor Party leader Bill Shorten met for dinner in Auckland during the weekend, where the topic was raised again.
In the past, Shorten has urged Turnbull to take up Ardern’s offer of taking up to 150 Manus Island refugees.
On Saturday, Shorten was asked whether he was still calling on Turnbull to accept the offer.
‘‘Ultimately it’s a matter for our government, but I think we should look pretty carefully and positively at the leadership that the New Zealand Government’s displaying in this matter,’’ he said.