Australian independent journalist Rukshan Fernando cut his New Zealand trip short after an Interpol leak revealed a police plot against him.

"I don't want to call it fear, but there was a feeling inside of me that didn't feel quite right," Fernando said.

"We were getting little bits of information regarding how the police were behaving before I got to New Zealand, and I wasn't sure how that was going to play out. And I thought it's just better I leave early", he added.

His colleague Avi Yemini was refused entry hours before Fernando's passport was similarly flagged at check-in.

Yemini plans on returning to tell the other side of the story in New Zealand once his appeal is successful.

Over twenty-two thousand people have already signed a petition to let the Rebel News reporter into the country.