In my story on Friday about “globalist gladiator” Russell Crowe wanting to take a refugee or two home with him, I reported that New Zealand’s new Prime Minister says she would take 150 off their hands. (The asylum seekers are staging a protest at the moment).
Now Malcolm Turnbull says thanks, but no thanks! I’ve got my deal with Trump!
He said they might take up to 1,250 mostly Muslim men to Anytown, USA if they pass security screening. Turnbull is probably thinking it will be harder for them to get back to Australia from America then from New Zealand once they are legalized.
From the Times of Malta:
Australia turned down on Sunday an offer to take 150 asylum seekers being held in an Australian-run detention centre in Papua New Guinea, where UN officials have warned a humanitarian emergency is unfolding.
About 600 men have barricaded themselves inside the camp on remote Manus island in Papua New Guinea, defying efforts by Australia and PNG to shut it. Food, running water and medical services were cut off by Australia five days ago.
Australian authorities want the men moved to a transit centre elsewhere on the island at the start of a process the asylum seekers fear will result in them being resettled in PNG or another developing nation. The men also fear violent reprisals from the local community.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday her country was willing to take 150 asylum seekers from among those held on Manus island and another camp on the tiny Pacific nation of Nauru.
Her Australian counterpart, Malcolm Turnbull, however said Canberra preferred to work through an existing refugee swap deal he negotiated with former US President Barack Obama last year. Under that deal, up to 1,250 asylum seekers could be sent to the United States and Australia will in turn accept refugees from Central America. [The US will take the Muslim men off our hands and we will get Christian families in exchange!–ed]
See my entire Australia “dumb deal” archive here.
For readers shouting that it was Obama’s deal. Yes, originally it was, but President Trump could have walked away from the truly unprecedented arrangement that Obama made as he walked out the door.