New Zealand's National Party leader and Prime Minister-elect John Key celebrates a landslide victory at the National election party during New Zealand's general election in Auckland September 20, 2014.
New Zealand's National Party leader and Prime Minister-elect John Key celebrates a landslide victory at the National election party during New Zealand's general election in Auckland September 20, 2014. Reuters/Nigel Marple

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has denied any knowledge of bribery allegations against Australian authorities. He said he has no information suggesting that the Australian government had paid off people smugglers to turn back a boat full of refugees back to Indonesia.

Mr Key explained he was aware of the people smugglers’ intention to come to New Zealand and he was told the crew had the capability to do so. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has refused to answer questions about the accusations of Indonesia.

The New Zealand prime minister said last week that he knew about the boat but not about the possibility of payment being made. “There’s nobody on the New Zealand side that I’ve spoke to that has been involved in anything like that,” added Mr Key.

He had not asked about the alleged payoff but no one in the New Zealand government has spoken to Australia as far as he knows. Mr Key said he does not know whether the information was true or not but that’s “a matter for Australia” to determine.

Mr Key said he first heard the claims through media and he has not been advised of any payments to smugglers. He added that New Zealand had no part in the alleged payment. When asked if he would consider paying people smugglers to turn back in any situation, Mr Key replied it would not be something New Zealand would engage in.

The prime minister explained that New Zealand’s involvement in the issue is to ensure that the country has the right legislative settings if ever a migrant boat will arrive in New Zealand, reports Stuff.

Meanwhile, Australia is facing mounting pressure to explain the allegations from the Labor Party, the United Nations High Commission on Refugees and the International Organisation of Migration. A spokesperson from the IOM said the organisation sees no circumstances under which paying people smugglers can serve the interest of vulnerable asylum seekers.

TVNZ reports that Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has refused to comment on the allegations after previously denying them. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the Australian people deserve to know the truth.

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