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She told Sky News today that while the talks are not over yet, “the first suggestions are that [victims’] the families want that sentence to be served here. “
The 29-year-old Australian mass murderer was sentenced to life in prison without parole, the first time in New Zealand history that the sentence has been imposed, in August.
Since his sentencing, it has been hotly debated whether the shooter could be deported back to his native Australia.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has called for the “depraved” mosque gunman of March 15, 2019, who killed 51 people, to be extradited to prevent New Zealand from paying to keep him locked up for life.
Peters said it was time “for Australian Home Secretary Peter Dutton to receive and carry out the terrorist’s sentence in Australia.”
But Justice Minister Andrew Little has previously said a new law would have to be passed to deport him.
“It is automatic if you are a non-citizen or non-resident. Any other way would have to be by treaty agreement with the country of origin, and we don’t have that with Australia,” Little said just after the gunman sentenced.
“Our prison system is now obligated to detain him for life.”
National leader Judith Collins was wary of deporting the gunman, in part because Australians seemed willing to deport Kiwis who were in the middle of their sentence.
“That would mean that New Zealand would have a lot of criminals who have not served their sentences roaming the communities, or else we would have to find a space for them in jail,” Collins previously said.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has left the door open to work with New Zealand on the issue.
If sent back to Australia, the most likely prison to take him would be Goulburn Supermax in the New South Wales regional region.
