Jacinda Ardern is looking further into a deportee from Australia after it was revealed today a 15-year-old boy was among a recent deportation to New Zealand.
Oranga Tamariki have confirmed to 1 NEWS they are working to support the minor.
In a statement they say they "have been working extensively with the relevant authorities in both Australia and New Zealand to support this young person’s arrival into New Zealand."
"He is currently in a managed isolation facility and receiving support while undertaking quarantine."
Stuff reports the minor is aged 15-year-old.
The Prime Minister said today she had only recently been made aware that in the group of deportees from Australia that had returned, known as 501s, there was a minor.
"I have asked for a briefing on that. We would have an expectation that regardless of the background, that we do treat minors in a particular way when we're dealing with deportation," Ardern said.
She said she wanted to look further into the deportation, "because we do want to make sure, particularly when we're dealing with young people, that that's been dealt with appropriately regardless of the circumstances of their deportation".
"When you're dealing with minors, is it appropriate to have them in these circumstances and deported in that way? We will be going back and looking at the details involved."
"It is a minor and I would expect particular care to have been taken in the way a minor is dealt with."
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was "providing consular assistance to a minor in detention in Australia, which included making the appropriate arrangements for the care of a minor".
Last week, Australia's Channel 9 aired footage of a planeload of deportees in Australia destined for New Zealand. In the television story Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton referred to the deportations as "taking the trash out".
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