Answers wanted over Kiwi’s prison death

Top level discussions have finally taken place over the death of a New Zealander in detention in Australia.

Mr Key told reporters Foreign Minister Murray McCully is raising the matter with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop.

Togatuki, who had mental health illnesses, died in solitary confinement in Goulburn’s Supermax prison.

She said the New South Wales Police would investigate the death of Junior Togatuki, 23. He had written to Australia’s immigration minister Peter Dutton begging to be allowed to stay in Australia.

His sentence for robbery and assault had ended in August, but he was being held ahead of his deportation to New Zealand – the country he had left aged four.

Some New Zealanders are being held on isolated Christmas Island near Indonesia, and the New Zealand Human Rights commissioner David Rutherford today called for such centres to be closed down.

There are nearly 200 New Zealanders being held in Australian detention centres facing deportation, and hundreds more have had their visas cancelled.

‘It’s time our government stopped sitting back and watching this appalling treatment of New Zealand citizens, and sought an urgent clarification of Australia’s policy, ‘ he said.

John Key raised concerns with Julie Bishop over the death of New Zealand-born Junior Togatuki while in detention.

Prof Harris said it was “constantly preached” by some people that Australia and New Zealand enjoyed a “special relationship”.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister says the Government needs to pick its time before pushing the issue of deportations with Malcolm Turnbull’s Government.

Andrew Little, right, says Murray McCully, left, needed to do more than send a text message.

Some Australian civil rights commentators have suggested that one reason some people, including New Zealanders, were being held in remote detention centres was that this effectively limited their deportation appeal rights, given that lawyers were not always available there.

The news comes after Labour leader Andrew Little criticised the way the Foreign Affairs Minister had responded to Australia’s treatment of some New Zealanders, since migration laws were changed.

From last November, Australia has toughened up its rules, and making non-citizens who served more than a year in prison liable for deportation. Opposition parties are criticising the government for not taking a harder line with the Australian government.

“If we want to achieve democracy, human rights – the things that matter to us, that enable us to have security and prosperity – we need a good reputation, internationally”.

About 300 people have been deported to New Zealand or are being detained while a decision is made on their visa, since tough new laws came into force in Australia a year ago.

Asked if the relationship with Australia had been damaged, he said any possible harm had been “small” at this stage.