Is first-time visitor to NZ
futility of his application to this court.’’
Because of the long prison sentence, Uriaere’s visa cancellation was mandatory. That stemmed from ‘‘a particularly harsh and uncompromising provision’’ which came into effect in January 2015, Wigney said.
Uriaere had completed an intensive drug and alcohol programme, and had been clean for nearly two years.
He was a positive role model for his younger siblings and, if he was removed, ‘‘the three minor children would suffer and probably for a long time continue to suffer real pain’’. These factors were not enough to keep him in the country.
In January last year, Dutton set aside the report about the impact of Uriaere’s departure from Australia and cancelled his visa. In his decision, he said it was of national interest to cancel Uriaere’s visa because of the seriousness and nature of his criminal history. Were he to reoffend, there would be serious risk to the Australian community, Dutton said.
Uriaere now has until February 4 to lodge another appeal. Phillips said she was seeking leave to appeal the decision.
‘‘He has never been to New Zealand. He is a really lovely young man who obviously did some foolish things.’’
Helen Murphy, who runs the Christchurch branch of the Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Service (Pars), said one man arrived in the city in late November, and another just weeks later.
‘‘One’s from Rarotonga and the other from Samoa. Neither of them had ever been to New Zealand . . . They don’t have anybody. There is nobody here.’’
Christchurch took in nine deportees last month and would bring in at least five more this month. Figures for the remainder of the country were not available before deadline.
‘‘I’d hate to think how many Auckland gets,’’ Murphy said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the Government was concerned about deportees with no ‘‘strong depth of connection’’ being sent here.
‘‘It is Australia’s sovereign right to determine its own policy settings, however New Zealand ministers and officials regularly raise broader issues highlighted by this type of case,’’ he said.
Todd McClay, National’s foreign affairs spokesman, said he could understand why Australians ‘‘would want some of these people out of their country’’.
‘‘Just as when non-citizens commit serious crimes here in New Zealand, we should also be looking to send them home.
‘‘However, where someone has never been to New Zealand, or has lived most of their life in Australia, it seems more of an Australian issue rather than one for New Zealand.’’
McClay’s concern was people deported here ‘‘to continue to break the law’’.
‘‘In Opposition, the Labour Party made a lot of noise about the rights of Kiwis who have broken the law in Australia.
‘‘Kelvin Davis stood in front of Australian detention centres demanding the Australian Government change its policy. However, since forming the Government . . . they’ve been silent on this issue.’’