Key and Turnbull to discuss Australia’s deportation policy

His official visit will begin on Saturday with formal talks with both Key and Labour leader Andrew Little.

New Zealand can’t “badger” Australia over its deportation policy, but Prime Minister John Key is hopeful he can convince Malcolm Turnbull to make a few tweaks to it.

He had numerous conversations with former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was rolled by Mr Turnbull last month, and sensed an opportunity to lower the threshold for deportation for New Zealanders. “I wouldn’t put it in the context of whether they’ll back down; whether they’ll make alterations to their policies to consider the special relationship between New Zealand and Australia”.

Key said the policy was a new one and New Zealanders were more affected by it, suggesting the plight of a few New Zealanders living in Australia had worsened.

That’s led to around 200 Kiwis being held in Australian detention centres – including around 40 in the notorious Christmas Island facility – as they wait to be sent back to New Zealand.

Mr Turnbull was a “reasonably sensitive guy”, Mr Key said, but there were domestic political issues to any possible change to immigration laws.

National’s coalition partners have called the Government’s response lacking so far, but Mr Key this afternoon stressed that it was important not to “badger” the Australians, and spoke of the closeness of the two countries.

Mr Blackwood’s father has also said he feels there is little political will to help his son.

“There’s a powerful argument there, maybe over time we can get change”.

It would dominate his talks with Mr Turnbull at the weekend, Mr Key said.

“At least six government agencies – including Police, Foreign Affairs, Health, Justice, Immigration, and Internal Affairs – have known since the beginning of this year about the detention and planned deportations”.

“The return of these people – many of whom have no jobs, accommodation, friends, family or support systems here – is likely to cost New Zealand millions”.

Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson David Shearer said the government had been preparing for months for an influx of more than 1000 New Zealanders.

His office asked where and how many Kiwis there were in detention centres.

Mr Key says the Government had become aware of the situation this year where a “top line” number of around 1000 people was used.