Australia accused of flouting international obligations over child s disturbing deportation to New Zealand sbs.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sbs.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
She said she had not spoken to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the teenager’s deportation.
“He knows my position on the deportation policy,” she said. “So actually regardless of whether or not we’re dealing with a minor or someone who’s older, I have a specific objection to the fact that we have people being deported from Australia who we consider to be Australians.”
The boy was deported alone, and it s understood he is the first minor to be sent back under the scheme.
Under current Australian laws, visa holders who are sentenced to at least 12 months in jail face mandatory deportation. For New Zealand citizens who have spent the majority of their lives in Australia, however, the practice can see them returned to a country they have little connection to.
A number of foreign affairs ministers and world leaders have spoken out against China s most recent move, and on Saturday, New Zealand s Foreign Affairs Minister made her thoughts clear.
A joint statement from Mahuta and Payne say they are deeply concerned the changes further undermine rights and freedoms and the high degree of autonomy guaranteed by China to Hong Kong until 2047 under the Sino-British Joint Declaration . Australia and New Zealand have always wanted Hong Kong to succeed, given its role as a significant hub for finance, trade, and our communities overseas. This depends on Hong Kong continuing to enjoy a high degree of autonomy and respecting the rule of law, the pair say.