The opposition Green Party in New Zealand says pressure needs to be applied to the New Zealand government to intervene in the fate of refugees detained offshore by Australia.
After four years in Papua New Guinea, 140 asylum seekers have asked the New Zealand prime minister for refuge before the October closure of their detention centre on Manus Island.
At that stage, the asylum seekers could either be deported or forced to stay in PNG, a country they say is too dangerous and incapable of resettling refugees.
The Green Party MP and immigration spokesperson Denise Roche said the New Zealand prime minister Bill English should take a different course of action to his predecessor.
"We've got a different prime minister now so we should be calling on that prime minister to show leadership and work alongside Australia, both Australia and Papua New Guinea, to enable us to take asylum seekers from Manus."
The New Zealand government said its offer still stood to take 150 refugees from Nauru and Manus Island.
Detention centre guards on Manus Island. Photo: Behrouz Boochani
