"Firstly, they may not have a passport because it may have been cancelled a while ago. Secondly, they may have mental health issues or a history of violence, we can't put them on a commercial plane."
New Zealanders on Christmas Island can return home to New Zealand, but were fighting the deportation orders, Mr Key said. "They are absolutely free to come on home on a plane, they don't need to be on Christmas Island and that can happen within days."
'I didn't go too far'
Mr Key denied that he had gone too far by accusing the Labour Party of supporting rapists, child molesters and murderers.
MPs on both sides of the House took offence at Mr Key's outburst in the House yesterday, which came during questioning on Christmas Island detainees. Opposition MPs said many New Zealanders had been detained for petty crimes, and some had not been charged with any crimes at all.
Mr Key told Radio New Zealand this morning he did not believe he had overstepped the mark.
He also stood by his claim that many New Zealand detainees had committed serious crimes.
While he had been provided figures on the offences committed by the overall group of New Zealanders facing deportation from Australia, he was unsure how many rapists, child molesters and murderers were on Christmas Island.
Those figures, provided by the Australian Government in May, were released by his office yesterday.
Out of 585 Kiwis whose visas had been cancelled, 34 had committed child sex offences, 22 had committed murder or manslaughter, and 16 had committed rape. The most common offences were assault and theft.
Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told Australian media yesterday that out of the 200 detainees on Christmas Island, there were four rapists. Their nationality was not known.
Mr Key said Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull had told him that many of the detainees had been responsible for behavioural issues at other detention camps. He also reiterated that New Zealand detainees were able to return home as soon as this week, but only if they had a passport and their security risk was low enough for them to travel on a commercial airline.
Some detainees said they had already filled out paperwork to return home, but they had been told they faced a wait of up to 14 weeks.
Justice Minister Amy Adams spoke to Mr Dutton yesterday, and said he had reassured her that Kiwis who elected to return home would be able to do so quickly and without prejudicing any potential appeal against deportation.
Kiwis facing deportation: By the numbers
Rubber bullets
Authorities said rioting at Christmas Island was over and that they had regained control of the detention centre. Riot police stormed the facility, apparently using tear gas and rubber bullets.
A statement from Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection says "the majority of detainees co-operated with service providers in restoring good order and control to the centre".
All detainees were accounted for and five were awaiting assessment by medical professionals for injury or illness.
"None of the matters are life-threatening. It is not known whether those injuries were sustained during the disturbance itself or during the resolution of the operation," the statement says.
There were reports of some detainees barricading themselves inside with petrol bombs, machetes and chainsaws after raiding a garden shed for weapons.
The unrest began in the early hours of Monday morning after upset detainees asked officials what happened to Kurdish refugee Fazel Chegeni, whose body was found on Sunday following his escape from the detention centre.
Media reports suggest New Zealanders were behind the uprising, which saw centre guards flee, fires burn and walls smashed.
The centre is run by controversial private prison operator Serco, which hit headlines in New Zealand this year after a series of scandals emerged at Mt Eden prison.
Two bus-loads of guard reinforcements were trucked to Christmas Island last night, patrolling the perimeter of the centre, as sirens sounded for hours on end.
Live on Australian radio, one detainee described riot police smashing their way in. He said some detainees, including a couple of older ones in their 70s, were "freaking out" as officers arrived.
In the background fire alarms, commotion and shouting police were audible. "The tear gas is coming into the room now. I have just got a wet rag around my head."
'We are going to get hurt'
The detainee said those rioting were heavily armed and out of control. He worried about his safety as riot police kicked the door into the room he sheltered in. "We are going to get hurt."
He then described police dragging detainees with their hands behind their backs, before the phone line dropped out.
The immigration and border security department statement says the operation to re-gain control of the centre was "achieved largely through negotiation and co-operation".
"This strategy of peaceful negotiation and resolution has always been the clear objective of all involved in the operation.
"Some force was used with a core group of detainees who had built barricades and actively resisted attempts to secure compounds, including threatened use of weapons and improvised weapons."
The centre was now "calm" and detainees were secured in its undamaged areas. Meanwhile, authorities were sweeping the centre for weapons.
A full assessment of the damage is yet to be undertaken, but some common areas appeared to have suffered "severe" harm.
As the operation was underway, Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was bombastic in his rhetoric.
"The government's not going to cower in the face of the activities of some of these criminals," he said in Canberra, blaming a "core group of criminals" for what happened.
Attempts to contact New Zealanders in the centre were unsuccessful tonight but yesterday a Kiwi detainee told NZME people being "treated like animals" sparked the riots.
The man, who NZME chose not to name, said the riots kicked off after one person was allegedly assaulted by a guard when they asked about the body.
"It was just a matter of time, all of us knew it. It was a matter of time because of the way they treat people ... They're meant to be so called welfare carers. Duty of care is their number-one policy and bringing service to us, but they treat us like dogs. We're treated like animals in here."
The man said there were fears authorities could return to the centre with guns.
