Q+A: Marama Fox - 'So is it time to bring in reciprocal legislation and say, ‘Well, okay, long gone the Anzac Spirit.’

On the issue of New Zealanders who’re being detained, awaiting deportation from Australia after committing a crime, Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox told TV One’s Q+A programme, “So is it time to bring in reciprocal legislation and say, ‘Well, okay, long gone the Anzac Spirit.’

Marama Fox told the programme, ‘our government need to be stronger around the situation’.

GREG Okay, what should John Key be saying not to Julie Bishop but to Malcolm Turnbull? What should he be doing, in your opinion?

MARAMA I think that he should be bringing up our Anzac history, our closer relationship and not about economics. I listened to him speak and say the first thing we’re going to worry about is our economic trade relationship, when actually, these are people’s lives, and I think they are more important. ‘

Marama Fox told Q+A, ‘they weren’t criminalised in New Zealand; they were criminalised in Australia. And because of the new laws, they’re going to throw them on a plane and send them home. ‘But wait, we might have already done our time, and now we’re sitting in a detention centre.’

On the issue of whether musician Chris Brown should be allowed into New Zealand, Marama Fox said, ‘..what I’m very clear about is that a celebrity, no matter who you are, should be subject to the same rules as everybody else.’

GREG Tariana Turia has come out in support. Your predecessor has come out in support of him. What do you think about that?

MARAMA ‘Tariana Turia has some valid points in what she’s said about transforming your lives, turning your lives around. Because that’s essentially what Whanau Ora is. But I’m saying that we’ve got examples of people who can do that in our own country. We don’t need to be looking to an American rap star to do that.’

Q+A, 9-10am Sundays on TV ONE and one hour later on TV ONE plus 1. Repeated Sunday evening at 11:35pm. Streamed live atwww.tvnz.co.nz

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