Turnbull on diplomatic damage control in NZ

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (Reuters)
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (Reuters)

Prime Minister John Key has revealed up to 1000 Kiwis in total could be deported from Australia under its new hard-line policy of sending criminals back to their home country.

Mr Key says the issue will dominate discussion when new Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull arrives in Auckland later this week.

Around 40 New Zealand criminals call the remote Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre – built for detaining asylum seekers – home. Mr Key wants a stop to it.

The policy introduced under former Prime Minister Tony Abbott means criminals can be sent back to their home country if they've done a year or more in prison.

But now Mr Turnbull is in charge, and he'll be on diplomatic damage control when he sets foot in New Zealand for his official overseas trip as Prime Minister on Friday.

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