17yo Kiwi held among adults in detention centre
Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says Australia is breaching the United Nation’s Rights of the Child in detaining a 17-year-old New Zealander.
The teenager is being held in a detention centre and National Party foreign affairs spokesman Todd McClay said there were reports the boy was not the only minor being detained in Australia.
Peters said Australia knew New Zealand’s position on the detainment and deportation of New Zealand nationals.
‘‘We’ve made that very clear for a long time, we don’t like it.’’
The Government had used diplomatic channels to raise this particular case with Australia, Peters said yesterday.
‘‘I’m not gilding the lily here or pulling our punches; we are joint signatories – along with many other countries – to UN conventions where children are concerned. This child is a minor and I’m just reminding Australia . . . to live up to it.’’
Peters reiterated Australia needed to live up to the UN Conventions of the Rights of the Child, as it was a signatory.
McClay said it was not appropriate for the 17-year-old to be held in a detention centre with adults.
New Zealand nationals in Australia had the option to return to New Zealand to await the outcome of the decision on whether they would be deported to New Zealand. McClay said he urged the boy’s family to consider this option. ‘‘In this case a 17-year-old, being held with adults, irrespective of what he might have done, I don’t think is appropriate. It is important that the Government focus on this, there are a lot of New Zealanders whose lives are now in Australia and I don’t think it’s unreasonable for us to ask the Australians to treat them fairly.’’
McClay said he had asked Peters’ office for information on this case, and the other reported case of a 17-year-old being detained.
Meanwhile, National Party leader Simon Bridges agreed with Peters and McClay.
‘‘Ultimately, you’ve got a situation where what is happening is against as, I understand it, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.’’
Bridges said this wasn’t an easy situation for New Zealand to navigate, as Australia set its own rules.
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis was vocal about his opposition to Kiwis being held in Australian detention centres during his time in opposition.
Yesterday, Davis said he still held ‘‘very strong views’’ about the detainment of Kiwis in Australia, but it was up to Peters – in his capacity as foreign minister – to address this issue.
Australia tightened its immigration laws in 2015, which led to the detainment and subsequent deportation of New Zealanders in Australia, who had been charged with certain offences.