29th Nov 2017, 4:14 PM – Senate Motions - Asylum Seekers - New Zealand's resettlement offer

The majority voted in favour of a motion calling on the Government to accept New Zealand's offer to resettle 150 refugees from Manus Island and Nauru detention centres.

Motions like these represent the will of the Senate but do not have legal force. This means that they can be influential but don't actually force the Government to do anything.

Motion text

(1) That the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, has continued to pressure Australia to accept New Zealand's offer to resettle 150 refugees who are currently in offshore detention,

(ii) New Zealand will begin work to expedite processing refugees if, and when, the offer is accepted, and

(iii) Prime Minister Ardern stated "We made the offer because we saw a great need. No matter what label you put on it there is absolute need and there is harm being done"; and

(b) calls on the Government to accept New Zealand's offer to resettle 150 refugees and negotiate conditions similar to the United States refugee resettlement agreement.

(2) That a message be sent to the House of Representatives seeking its concurrence in this resolution.