PM’s Presser: Saudi Sheep Scandal still Labour’s Fault.

Monday, 22 June 2015, 5:37 pm
Article: Francis Cook

The Prime Minister today conceded he had gotten the numbers wrong about refugee intake on a radio interview this morning. Mr Key said there would be talks about raising the number but insisted that the cost runs up to $58m annually to settle refugees under our current quota. He said New Zealand is ranked 6th in the OECD for its refugee quota.

UNHCR figures show New Zealand is 90th in the world in the total number of refugees we host per capita.

When asked about the recent floods, he said it was uncertain whether climate change was causing more extreme weather and the Government was not considering raising emergency protocols because of the costs to local councils. The funding provided from the Government would be for short term “fix-it” work. The costs of the floods, he expects, will run into the millions.

Key also discussed the Saudi sheep scandal. He held fast to his insistence that the recently released papers from the Labour Government prove they were at fault, without explaining specifically where the fault lay. He said Phil Goff had banned the live exports in 2006 without alerting Mr. Al-Khalaf. Key said that the agri-hub in Saudi Arabia is a “genuine and legitimate way of promoting New Zealand in the Middle East”.

Mr. Key said he was confident the TPP would pass in senate. He said the deal, as it stands, would be a “net positive” for New Zealand, but believes more negotiations are needed around diary.

When pressed on the allegations of NZ involvement in bribes to Indonesian people smugglers, Key said “We don’t pay people smugglers.”

Audio here:

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ENDS

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Francis Cook

Reporter

Francis studied History, gaining a first class honours in 2014. He is interested in politics, music and popular culture. His thesis looked at nuclear themes in Japanese film history.

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