▁ ▁New sp aper ▁editor ial s ▁strongly ▁critic ised ▁the ▁operation ▁and ▁called ▁from ▁PM ▁John ▁Key ▁to ▁distance ▁the ▁government ▁from ▁likely ▁pay ments ▁made ▁by ▁Australia ▁to ▁the ▁ship ▁to ▁the ▁ships ▁crew ▁to ▁be ▁turned ▁around . ▁This ▁was ▁also ▁raised ▁by ▁Michael ▁T imm ins ▁ ▁Form er ▁Green ▁MP ▁Keith ▁Lock e ▁raised ▁the ▁incident ▁" ra ises ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁whether ▁the ▁Australian ▁n avy ▁is ▁under ▁instructions ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁government ▁to ▁intercept ▁any ▁such ▁boat ▁and ▁send ▁it ▁back ▁to ▁Indones ia ." ▁▁ ▁A head ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁general ▁election ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁MP s ▁and ▁activ ists ▁signed ▁an ▁open - letter ▁calling ▁on ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁passengers ▁of ▁the ▁And ika ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁to ▁have ▁their ▁as yl um ▁claims ▁ass essed ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁ ▁Det ention ▁of ▁as yl um ▁seek ers ▁ ▁Conc ern ▁has ▁been ▁raised ▁about ▁the ▁arbitrary ▁det ention ▁of ▁as yl um ▁seek ers ▁in ▁pr isons . ▁ ▁Australia - New ▁Zealand ▁relations ▁on ▁refuge es ▁Since ▁Helen ▁Clark ▁wel com ed ▁refuge es ▁from ▁the ▁T ampa , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁has ▁been ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁where ▁Australia ▁might ▁res ett le ▁as yl um ▁seek ers ▁who ▁arrive ▁by ▁boat . ▁This ▁approach ▁was ▁formal ised ▁in ▁an ▁agreement ▁between ▁Julia ▁Gill ard ▁and ▁John ▁Key ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁to ▁allow ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 5 0 ▁refuge es ▁from