HRC urges New Zealand Government to do the right thing – Dame Susan Devoy

New Zealand’s Human Rights Commission has welcomed the potential news that asylum seeker children – born in Australia and destined for immigration detention centres in Nauru – may be offered sanctuary in New Zealand.

“Our Government has the power to do the humane thing, to take in these youngsters and to make a powerful statement to the world about our own humanity: this is about innocent children,” said Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy.

“We urge our country’s leaders to do the right thing and stand up for human rights and the rights of some of the planet’s most vulnerable people.”

Prime Minister John Key has commented publicly ahead of a meeting with his Australian counterpart that it was “potentially possible” for our country to accept “genuine refugees” from Australia under an existing agreement.

Dame Susan said ideally these people would be on top of our existing quota, not part of it: but any resettlement of these children would be good news as no one – especially children – belongs in Australian Government’s immigration detention centres.

“We support our counterparts in the Australian Human Rights Commission and their longstanding calls to shut down their government’s immigration detention centres.”

#DoubleTheQuota

ENDS

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