27 Sep 2015

'I'll give climate refugee family a home'

1:36 pm on 27 September 2015

East Timor's former president Jose-Ramos Horta is offering to give the Kiribati overstayer Ioane Teitiota a home and find him a job.

Jose Ramos-Horta

Former President of Timor-Leste, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta Photo: AAP

The United Nations special representative and East Timor's former president Jose-Ramos Horta is offering to give the Kiribati overstayer Ioane Teitiota a home and find him a job.

Mr Teitiota was deported from New Zealand last week after his claim to be the first climate change refugee was rejected by the Government.

His wife and three New Zealand-born children will be sent to Kiribati this week.

In a Facebook post, Mr Horta said he did not understand why New Zealand would do such a heartless thing.

He asked his friends to put him in touch with Mr Teitiota, and said he would pay his airfare to Timor-Leste .

Mr Teitiota and his family can stay at his home while he finds him a job and a house, he said.

He said he would be happy to welcome the first ever climate refugee.

Ioane Teitiota's wife, Angua Erika, with one of the couple's three children at Auckland International Airport on Wednesday 23 September 2015. The family's application to be considered refugees from the effects of climate change in Kiribati has been declined, and Mr Teitiota is being deported today.

Ioane Teitiota's wife, Angua Erika, with one of the couple's three children at Auckland International Airport. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Baker

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