Changes in Australia’s ‘corrosive’ deportation policy are welcomed by New Zealand PM
Australia announced to overhaul of its approach to deporting NZ citizens who are in Australian prisons for more than one year.
The announcement is welcomed by New Zealand’s prime minister, Chris Hipkins, as the deportation of New Zealanders was provoking frustration in the trans-Tasman relationship for years between Aussies and Kiwis.
Many of these prisoners have tenuous connections to New Zealand. Australian immigration minister Andrew Giles has issued a ministerial direction to his department Rather than changing section 501 of Australia’s Migration Act to pay more attention to a person’s connection’s strength, duration and nature in the Australian community.
After the announcement, Hipkins told the reporters on Wednesday in Auckland that the decision by the Australian government is welcomed as many of these people have a long history in Australia.
Many have been living in Australia since they were young and spent almost all their lives there. They have no connection to New Zealand and only the history of their ancestors it is not fair to send them back.
The New Zealand and Australian governments have been working on this policy shift for some time now. And this was the first step towards the ongoing movement from the federal government.
The changes were considered in the policy after the talks between Albanese and Ardern in Sydney last year. It was to allow a reset of the trans-Tasman relationship.
In 2019, after the meeting with the then-Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, Ardern said that the issue had “become corrosive” in the trans-Tasman relationship.
Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese and Hipkins will meet in Canberra next week.
For the New Zealand government, this was a toxic issue because the public was angry about the criminal behaviour of deportees. They were blamed by New Zealand’s police and Ardern for increased gang and gun crime.
From last September to now almost 3,000 people have been deported to New Zealand. And 57% of these commit crimes in New Zealand according to RNZ.
The deportation will still occur but the change would deliver a more “common sense approach”, said a spokesperson.
The Home Affairs Department will consider the length of a person’s stay in Australia before deporting them. If the individuals pose a risk to the community then their visa will be cancelled and they will be removed from Australia said the Home Affairs Department.
