Transcript
Oscar Kightley has been outspoken in New Zealand media decrying Australia's four year detention of refugees in prison camps on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
"This is our neighbourhood, this is in the South Pacific, this is in our part of the world and we all need to care. Yeah, there are atrocities happening all over the world, but is right in our back yard."
The Kurdish journalist and Manus Island detainee Behrouz Boochani says the refugees have called on New Zealand for help several times.
"I want to ask the New Zealand Prime Minister [to] take responsibility for humanity and put pressure on Australian government. We, in this prison in Manus, we have several times written letters to the New Zealand Prime Minister and asked to help, and really we are watching New Zealand."
The leader of the opposition Labour party, Andrew Little, says New Zealand should be encouraging Australia to improve its human rights record.
"I think the one thing that our two countries now, given the current world order, is to stand together and together be the beacon for decent human rights, the rule of law, standing and proudly calling out breaches of those things when we see it."
"So what would that mean for Australia then?"
"It would mean they would need to manage their situation better then?"
Before the summit, Prime Minister Bill English said he would reiterate New Zealand's offer to resettle some of the refugees.
"I expect we will note it, I mean it's an offer made by New Zealand that remains in place, the Australians haven't taken it up. They appear to have been able to maintain their agreement with the US, so they may not see a need to take it up. We'll note it in passing."
But the co-leader of the opposition Green Party, James Shaw, says New Zealand should be full and frank with its Australian neighbours.
"First of all is that New Zealand does not accept the way that Australia has been treating these refugees over the course of the last few years. We agree that UN's assessment that they are in inhumane conditions and the second message is that is if Australia's arrangement with the United States falls through that New Zealand would be willing to take those refugees."
Oscar Kightley says the refugees don't have time for diplomatic niceties.
"You know this game of politics where one leader talks to another leader and it's all about what they don't talk about and subjects that they skirt around. I would have though we'd be close close enough to be able to speak openly. It's up to good mates to tell their good mates when they're acting a bit unreasonable."
Oscar Kightley says there's no excuse for the prolonged detention of the refugees, especially when so many are children.
