2016-01-12
If the government were serious about finding sustainable third-country resettlement options for the people on Manus Island and Nauru, it would take up the offer for resettlement from New Zealand, the Australian Greens have said.
"New Zealand has offered to help and the Australian Government should take them up on that," the Green's immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"If the government was actually interested in resettling people and letting them rebuild their lives it would have leapt at this opportunity. Instead they have chosen to continue to punish men, women and children for seeking a better life.
"Continuing to dump people seeking asylum in Cambodia while refusing offers of help from countries like New Zealand is ridiculous.
"People seek asylum in places like Australia and New Zealand because we have the capacity to help them build better lives. We should be supporting them to integrate and allowing them to contribute to our vibrant multicultural communities."
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