A dedicated isolation facility will be set up for Kiwis being deported from Australia this week, 1 NEWS can exclusively reveal.
It will remain in use for as long as necessary, as the Australian government resumes its policy of deporting New Zealanders.
The policy was put on hold during lockdown but 1 NEWS understands it resumed about a month ago and that at least 19 detainees from various detention centres are due to fly back this week.
Advocates have been calling for more transparency around the situation while 1 NEWS has been asking the Government all weekend about impending arrivals.
The Government says where appropriate, extra security arrangements will be put in place to manage the return of deportees during their time in managed isolation.
Another 15 Kiwis in detention at the Yongah Hill Detention Centre in Western Australia are protesting because they have signed an agreement to go home to New Zealand – but have been given no timeframe as to when that may happen.
After months in Sydney's Villawood detention centre, Kiwi Miles Rowe will be on a plane home soon.
He's being deported but his father is very ill and Rowe just wants to get home to his family.
The only information Rowe has is that he'll go straight into quarantine, but he doesn't know where.
"It's been horrible because they don't let you know much at all," he says.
While deportations were put on hold over lockdown, during the various alert levels the Australian border force and New Zealand's agencies kept in touch with regards to resuming them.
Detainee advocate, Filipa Payne says deportees deserve to have some clarity.
"It's a really difficult question because we don't have information about where the guys are going into quarantine, the Government isn't being transparent, I'd like to say to New Zealand, let's treat these guys with some care, some dignity and some aroha," she said.
It is understood a charter flight will bring the latest group of deportees back to New Zealand.
SHARE ME