AUSTRALIA “closed” so fake asylum seekers will try to break into New Zealand.

“The Australian government already is closed [the way] because every boat going to Australia comes back to Indonesia. So many people say it’s impossible. Now we not try to go to Australia,” Mr Saiful said. “What can I do? And [a people smuggler] Mr Jafar told me, ‘You can go to New Zealand from Papua’.”

Mr Saiful said the smugglers had told them that it was easier to be accepted in New Zealand than Australia.