PMs ‘working through issues’ over alleged terrorist
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she has had a ‘‘constructive’’ phone call with her Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, about an alleged Islamic State terrorist with New Zealand citizenship arrested in Turkey.
Ardern publicly lambasted the Australian prime minister on Tuesday, revealing that his government unilaterally stripped the 26-year-old woman’s Australian citizenship due to her travelling to Syria to join Isis – effectively dumping the issue on New Zealand’s doorstep.
The woman, who had lived in
Australia for two decades and travelled to Syria on an Australian passport, was arrested with her two young children in Turkey on Monday.
Turkey has in recent years deported hundreds of foreigners who travelled to the region to join the Isis terror group.
A spokesman for Ardern said yesterday that the prime ministers shared a ‘‘constructive’’ phone call.
‘‘Regardless of the steps taken in this case to date, both New Zealand and Australia acknowledge that this case now has a number of complexities. We are working through those issues in the spirit of our relationship’’
Morrison earlier appeared relaxed about his decision, and the angry response from Ardern, saying it was his job to protect Australia’s interests.
‘‘There is still a lot more unknown about this case and where it sits and where it may go to next,’’ he said.
‘‘But Australia’s interest here is that we do not want to see terrorists who fought with terrorism organisations enjoying privileges of citizenship.’’
Ardern said that after she raised the woman’s status with Morrison, Australia ‘‘abdicated its responsibilities’’ and acted in bad faith by unilaterally cancelling the woman’s citizenship.
‘‘You can imagine my response ... New Zealand is, frankly, tired of having Australia export its problems. But now there are two children involved, and so we have to resolve this issue with the interest of those children in mind.
‘‘My view in these cases was that bilaterally – between New Zealand and Australia – we needed to work these things through.’’