The fairness of deporting a person who has spent the majority of their life in another country is being challenged
In another example of the disparity between the way New Zealand and Australia treat citizens of each other’s countries, New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has admonished Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, over Australia’s policy of deporting New Zealand citizens if they have committed a crime regardless of the length of time they have lived in Australia.
The issue has become increasingly political in New Zealand because it is seen as one of the causes of a rise in domestic criminal gang activity. Arden claimed the policy was at risk of damaging the friendly relationship between the two nations.
While New Zealand takes a person’s ties to the nation into account and does not deport those who are considered for all intents and purposes to have established themselves as New Zealanders, Australia does not make a similar distinction. Arden alleged that some of the individuals who have been deported were too young when they migrated to have become criminals in New Zealand. One person who was the subject of a deportation order had moved to Australia from New Zealand when they were one week old.
“Australia is well within its rights to deport individuals who break your laws. New Zealand does the same. But we have a simple request – send back Kiwis. Genuine Kiwis. Do not deport your people and your problems.”
Jacinda Arden, the prime minister of New Zealand
Morrison was adamant that Australia was within its right to continue the policy to deport non-citizens who had committed crimes and noted the act was not specific to any particular country. He commented that the practice was unlikely to change in the near future.
