Jacinda Ardern has no plans to raise climate change with Australian PM Scott Morrison
Jacinda Ardern doesn't plan to raise human rights issues with Fiji's leader. Credits: Newshub Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has no plans to raise climate change issues with the Australian Prime Minister and doesn't plan to raise human rights issues with Fiji's leader, either. However, Ardern is planning to push harder with Morrison than ever against deportations, spelling out the harm Australian gangs are causing in New Zealand. "In friendships there will sometimes be issues that can be corrosive. Deportation continues to be one of those issues," she told Newshub ahead of her overseas trip. Despite going in hot on deportations and gangs, Ardern is completely avoiding the issue that ignited Australia during the bush fires: climate change. Australia dragged out discussions on climate change at the Pacific Islands Forum last year, reluctant to commit to emissions reductions, and sparking backlash from environmentalists. Ardern justified not marking the issue as a discussion point with Morrison, telling Newshub: "It wasn't that long ago we spent the better part of 12 hours debating and discussing that." In the wake of the bush fires, Australia is talking about climate change like never before, and it could be the perfect opportunity for Ardern to put up a fight for what she's called her "nuclear-free moment". Ardern also said she won't commit to raising human rights concerns with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama when she meets him this week. Just last year, three New Zealand Newsroom journalists were arrested in Fiji filming a news story. The arrests were described by Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy as "overreach" and "not how things should work in a democracy and a normal open society". Ardern said she and her Fijian counterpart "will be spending some time together and I don't predetermine absolutely everything we discuss". She said she is "certain there will be issues like, you know, upcoming elections." The Prime Minister's visit to Fiji this week will be the first by a New Zealand Prime Minister in four years, and her visit to Sydney is for the annual Trans-Tasman Prime Minister's meeting.