Australia and PNG toss Gus Kuster about
A man who was facing deportation to Papua New Guinea because of his criminal history in Australia, says he's confused after he was refused entry.
Forty year old, Gus Kuster, was born in PNG, but has lived in Australia since he was three, and has been jailed ten times in twenty years.
The Australian government tried to deport him yesterday but he was not allowed off the plane in Port Moresby.
Kuster is back in Brisbane in immigration detention and told Radio Australia, the ordeal has been confronting.
"Where does that leave me?
"The Australian government is saying I'm not Australian, and the New Guinea government is saying I'm not allowed there because I've lived all my life in Australia.
"I don't know what to think at the moment".
PNG's Chief Migration Officer, Solomon Kantha told NBC News, the "Immigration and Citizenship Authority does not have any records to confirm Kuster is a citizen of PNG, and that is why he was refused entry."
Reports says Kuster's mother is from Manus and his father an Australian, but has lived 37 of his life in Australia.
Mr Kantha says "if documents as to his citizenship are provided, ICA will have to write to the State Solicitor to confirm if the person had retained his alleged PNG citizenship or has lost his citizenship".
"(The ICA) will discuss with relevant Australian authorities on policy guidelines around such cases as we are concerned of risks to our communities of the criminal backgrounds of such persons".
NBC News/ PNG Today
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Forty year old, Gus Kuster, was born in PNG, but has lived in Australia since he was three, and has been jailed ten times in twenty years.
The Australian government tried to deport him yesterday but he was not allowed off the plane in Port Moresby.
Kuster is back in Brisbane in immigration detention and told Radio Australia, the ordeal has been confronting.
"Where does that leave me?
"The Australian government is saying I'm not Australian, and the New Guinea government is saying I'm not allowed there because I've lived all my life in Australia.
"I don't know what to think at the moment".
PNG's Chief Migration Officer, Solomon Kantha told NBC News, the "Immigration and Citizenship Authority does not have any records to confirm Kuster is a citizen of PNG, and that is why he was refused entry."
Reports says Kuster's mother is from Manus and his father an Australian, but has lived 37 of his life in Australia.
Mr Kantha says "if documents as to his citizenship are provided, ICA will have to write to the State Solicitor to confirm if the person had retained his alleged PNG citizenship or has lost his citizenship".
"(The ICA) will discuss with relevant Australian authorities on policy guidelines around such cases as we are concerned of risks to our communities of the criminal backgrounds of such persons".
NBC News/ PNG Today
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