Australia to soften convict deportation stance
SYDNEY: Australia’s Immigration Minister, Andrew Giles, has ordered his department to soften its stance on deporting New Zealanders convicted of serious crimes, saying how long they have lived in Australia should now be made a top consideration.
Australia has deported hundreds of New Zealanders using laws made almost a decade ago that allowed longterm residents to be deported on character grounds, as well as those who had been sentenced to a prison term of at least 12 months.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he discussed the change with New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern last year and insisted Australia would still take action if it was necessary.
‘‘That is something that was discussed with Jacinda
Ardern in the first meeting that was held and we said we would apply some common sense [that] needs to be applied here between Australia and New Zealand,’’ Mr Albanese said yesterday.
‘‘But we retain, of course, our right to take action on the basis that it is appropriate action.’’
The most common reasons for visa cancellations of any nationality were drug offences, child sex offences and domestic violence offences.
A spokesman for Mr Giles said the government had told the department to take a ‘‘common sense’’ approach, the ABC reported yesterday.
‘‘Under these changes the Department of Home Affairs must now consider the length of time someone has lived in the Australian community as one of the primary considerations when determining whether to cancel someone’s visa,’’ the spokesman said.
‘‘Where individuals pose a risk to the community, the Australian government will continue to cancel their visas and remove them.’’
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the decision was a welcome ‘‘first step’’.
‘‘The acknowledgement on the Australian side that actually some of the people that we are talking about have had a long history in Australia — some of them have been there since they were very young children — and sending them to New Zealand when they have no connections here other than a very historic one isn’t really a fair or just outcome,’’ Mr Hipkins said.
‘‘I think the acknowledgement of that by the Australians is very, very welcome.
Mr Hipkins said further work with Australia around visa cancellations would continue, as well as ‘‘the general treatment of New Zealanders living in Australia’’. — AAP/RNZ