The New Zealand Government needs to put pressure on Australia to help homeless Kiwis living on the street, a Kiwis in Australia advocate says.
Nearly 40 organisations have written to Jacinda Ardern, urging the Prime Minister to help hundreds of Kiwi teenagers living on the streets in Australia.
Many of the teenagers have resorted to begging and prostitution after leaving broken homes and being refused help by the Australian Government.
Oz Kiwi committee chair Dr Tim Gassin told The AM Show on Wednesday it was a difficult situation but the New Zealand Government has to get on the front foot.
"This is exactly the type of situation where I think the New Zealand Government needs to get on the front foot and say... you can have debates about access to welfare and about all sorts of things but this is something that is clearly wrong."
"Get on the phone [to Malcolm Turnbull] but make some public noise about it."
Dr Gassin says it's a difficult situation for both Governments, but he does not think the New Zealand should pick up the tab.
"I think any New Zealand Government would be reluctant to do that," Dr Gassin says.
"It's a situation where Kiwis go to Australia, pay taxes to Australia and make contributions to Australian society, but the New Zealand taxpayers are left carrying the can if something goes wrong in their lives."
Watch the full interview with Dr Gassin above.
Newshub.
