FORMER member for Indi Cathy McGowan has urged the federal government to resettle eligible asylum seekers in New Zealand.
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Her call follows a visit to Papua New Guinea, which ended on Saturday and included a trip to Manus Island which hosts a detention centre funded by Australia.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape wants to close the site and Ms McGowan said "the overwhelming response from the PNG people is that it is time to end detention and they are proud and supportive of the action taken by their Prime Minister".
"I am calling on the Australian Government to move quickly to resettle those eligible (Manus) asylum seekers in New Zealand," Ms McGowan said.
"The existing situation is costing us too much in terms of money and Australia's reputation in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific."
Ms McGowan will talk of detainees on Manus and Nauru at a Rural Australians for Refugees event at Benalla's John Cooper Hall from 2pm next Saturday.
It is part of a national tour that began in Sydney on Sunday and will also include speeches in Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston and Devonport.