Transcript
Victoria Quade was born in Melbourne, but moved to Wellington about 30 years ago.
"I'm Australian and I'm ashamed at the way the Australian government is treating refugees"
She and her son were two of about 30 people who, early on a chilly Wellington morning, gathered outside the Australian embassy to protest that country's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.
Today marks four years since the Australian government, under then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, re-opened detention facilities on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, and the tiny Micronesian island of Nauru.
That decision meant any asylum-seekers arriving in Australia by boat would be taken offshore for processing, before being re-settled in Papua New Guinea if they met "refugee criteria".
Since then, controversies - such as the well-documented reports of abuse of some asylum-seekers - have led to widespread condemnation.
But not from New Zealand's government.
The executive director for New Zealand's branch of Amnesty International, Grant Bayldon, says the government's continued refusal to denounce the camps reeks of hypocrisy.
"The New Zealand government has been vocal in speaking out against human rights abuses in other countries around the world like Saudi Arabia and Iran but it's been completely silent on the issue of abuse of asylum seekers and refugees in offshore detention by the Australian government. So we definitely need to hear much more from the New Zealand government on this issue."
He says this is an issue of global importance - and fear of political repercussions shouldn't be a factor.
"This is an issue that transcends politics this about our values as a nation. We offer people protection who find themselves in desperate situations, we don't imprison them and lock them up. That's something the New Zealand government should stand firm on with the Australian government and hold to its principles."
Those calls were echoed by some of the younger voices in attendance - like Abby Fisher.
"I think it's very hypocritical of Australia to turn around and put people seeking asylum in detention when every human should be able to seek asylum whether they come by boat or by plane. I'd like to see New Zealand put a lot more pressure on Australia."
And Victoria Quade says if people knew what asylum-seekers have to go through, they'd be a lot more sympathetic to their cause.
"I teach English to migrants and refugees. They're people. I don't know if I could cope with some of the things my students have faced. So that's why I'm here."
According to the Australian government, just over 1250 people were still being held on Manus and Nauru as of last October.
That figure includes 45 children, and 50 women.
This is Emile Donovan.
