Justice Minister Andrew Little has hit back back against Aussie Minister Peter Dutton’s comments against him. (Photo: Henry Cooke/Stuff)

19 July 2018

Henry Cooke – Stuff

Justice Minister Andrew Little is standing by comments he made on Australian TV that prompted Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to attack him.

Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton sledged Little over his comments about Australia’s detainee policy, saying Little should “reflect” on the trans-Tasman relationship before repeating them.

Peter Dutton hoped Andrew Little would not repeat his comments. (Photo: supplied)

The Justice Minister used his interview on ABC show Foreign Correspondent this week to reiterate his long-held view that the country’s policy of deporting non-citizens on “character” and criminal grounds sometimes breached human rights.

This policy has seen many Kiwis who have called Australia home for decades sent to New Zealand, a country they often retain very few connections to. If they try to appeal the decision they are held in an immigration detention facility without trial.

Little told Foreign Correspondent this was often a clear breach of human rights.

“People who identify as Australian residents, because that’s where they’ve done their living, saying ‘they’re your problem now’ – I think it is improper and I think it is a breach of human rights,” he said.

“Detention for that length of time without charge… I can’t think of another liberal democratic country like New Zealand, like Australia, like many other Western countries in the world, where that would be tolerated.”

[Read the full Stuff article].