18 February 2016

Prime Ministers Key and Turnbull must address ending offshore detention in talks tomorrow

As Prime Minister John Key sits down with his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for bilateral talks on Friday, Amnesty International is calling on him to speak out strongly on our closest neighbour’s abysmal human rights record.

So far New Zealand has remained silent on Australia’s appalling track record for its policies around asylum seekers, and it’s high time Prime Minister John Key explicitly condemns the practice of offshore detention and calls on Australia to meet its obligations.

“The current threat by Australia to forcibly send 267 people seeking asylum, including 37 small babies, back to detention centres where they’re at serious risk of sexual and physical assault is deeply concerning, and it would be inconceivable for New Zealand to stay silent on this,” said Meg de Ronde, Campaigns Director at Amnesty International in New Zealand.

“How grave do the violations need to get before New Zealand will speak out to condemn this inhumane practice of offshore detention?”

Prime Minister John Key has said it is “potentially possible” for New Zealand to accept genuine refugees from Australia under the existing bilateral agreements. While generous, Amnesty International is concerned this offer does not address the ongoing human rights crisis created by Australia’s inhumane policy of offshore detention.

“Amnesty International believes the offer circumvents the need for New Zealand to explicitly condemn Australia's policies in the strongest terms for violating their international and domestic human rights obligations,” said Meg de Ronde.

“It neglects the stark fact that seeking asylum by boat is not illegal and they should not be locked up for it.

“Should New Zealand take these asylum seekers, they must do so over and above the current quota and it should not negate the fact that New Zealand's small quota needs to at least be doubled in the upcoming review.

“Australia and New Zealand need to work together to enhance the protection and fair treatment of people in need of asylum in our region. Hiding people away in poor and unsafe conditions on tiny islands, pushing back boats and shirking our international responsibilities is no policy solution to any problem."

A genuine regional solution means addressing the reasons why people flee and providing safe and legal routes for people to seek asylum.

In addition to the 267 asylum seekers - which includes 37 babies - who face deportation to Nauru from Australia, there are 916 people held in detention in Manus Island and 484 people in Nauru. The overwhelming majority of these people have been determined to be refugees, yet are languishing without knowing what their future holds.

Public support for the #LetThemStay campaign continues to grow and the Australian government is under increasing pressure not to return 267 asylum seekers to Manus Island and Nauru, as evidenced by the latest Essential poll.

There is an urgent need for the asylum seekers in offshore detention centres to be processed quickly and humanely and brought to Australia to integrate into communities.

ENDS

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