Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

World Video | Defence | Foreign Affairs | Natural Events | Trade | NZ in World News | NZ National News Video | NZ Regional News | Search

 

Sonny Bill Williams & Craig Foster Call On Australian Government To Accept NZ Offer To Resettle Refugees On Nauru & PNG

Sporting legends Sonny Bill Williams and Craig Foster call on the Australian Government to accept NZ's offer to resettle refugees still stuck offshore for more than seven years

All Black and NRL superstar, Sonny Bill Williams, and former Socceroo, Craig Foster, have joined forces to call on the Australian Government to finally accept the offer made by New Zealand in 2013 to resettle refugees stuck on Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

As more than 65,000 signatures from the #GameOver campaign to get refugees stuck offshore to safety were handed over to two Parliamentarians, Craig Foster said: "We’ve come to Canberra to call on the Australian Government to finally accept the New Zealand offer to resettle 150 refugees a year. There are still just under 300 people stranded on PNG and Nauru and as the deal with the US is about to come to an end, it is more urgent than ever we get these refugees to safety as soon as possible.

"Australians across the country have been asking for this for many years. The mental and physical anguish these people have suffered has been terrible and it’s time for the Australian Government to do the right thing and accept the New Zealand offer."

Sonny Bill Williams said: "New Zealand has a proud resettlement history. Since the Second World War it has resettled over 35,000 refugees. This is not about politics, this is about a few hundred refugees who have suffered for too long and who are in need of a solution. New Zealand has offered to provide that solution, Australia should accept."

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.