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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she will speak with the families of the victims of the terrorist attack on the mosque to see how they feel about the possibility of transferring the convicted murderer to Australia to serve his sentence.
He has also spoken with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the possibility of such a transfer.
The terrorist is Australian and was sentenced last week to life in prison without parole for the murder of 51 people who worshiped in two mosques in Christchurch last year.
New Zealand is not currently allowed by law to send prisoners abroad to complete sentences there, and Ardern was reassured by the prospect when asked before sentencing.
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* Prime Minister Scott Morrison is willing to consider jailing a Christchurch terrorist in Australia.
* Winston Peters Says Christchurch Mosque Terrorist Should Be Sent Back To Australia
“I would like to speak to families before taking a particular position on the issue,” Ardern said.
“But both [Morrison and Ardern] I understand that there is no legal basis for this, so a very particular conversation between the two of us would be necessary.
Morrison told Australian television that he was “open to discussion” on the matter.
“It has a lot of implications, these kinds of decisions. The Prime Minister of New Zealand and I will talk about those issues,” Morrison said. Dawn.
ROBERT KITCHEN / Things
Jacinda Ardern shortly after the terrorist’s sentencing.
“What most worries us is what the opinion of the families would be for those affected and we want to do the right thing for them. There has been no request in this regard, I must emphasize.”
The prisoner currently costs around $ 4,930 a day to keep him in prison, meaning the bill to house him for the rest of his life likely runs into the millions.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has expressed his wish that he serve his sentence in Australia.
“New Zealand First also believes that this terrorist should be returned to the country that raised him,” Peters said.
“Now is the time for Australian Home Secretary Peter Dutton to receive and carry out the terrorist’s sentence in Australia. The Islamic community and all of New Zealand have already suffered enough without paying astronomical prison costs to keep it safe in our prison system. “
National leader Judith Collins has been less receptive to the proposal and said she is concerned that Australia will send hundreds of Kiwi prisoners back to New Zealand.
“You have to be careful when the Australian government offers you a really good deal, just check, just check what that means,” Collins said.
“It’s very tempting, isn’t it? Just throw it back into the sea.”
New Zealanders convicted of crimes in Australia are routinely deported from Australia after serving prison terms, but they always serve their sentence in Australian prisons.
