In the blue corner
Even before Gallipoli, Australia has been our closest ally and friend in the international community. We have, over several decades, shared and collaborated on so much, from defence arrangements, visa-free travel and of course our sporting rivalries.
Yet with all that, Australia is still staunch in sending its 501 deportees toNew Zealand.
There have been well over 2500 people deported from Australia to New Zealand under section 501 of the Australian Migration Act, and with the election of a new Australian Prime Minister last week, it may provide a platform for our Government to raise the issue of 501 deportees again.
However, we have to accept that they are New Zealand citizens. The Government has been quick to blame 501s for our increased gang numbers, yet it has done little to assure New Zealanders that it is doing everything it can to mitigate their impact. Since 2017, we have seen violent crime increase by 21% and gun crime is at its highest in more than a decade, with police encountering at least 10 firearms a day. We might not be able to send these people back to Australia, but we can crack down on them with the full force of police, and the law to keep our communities safe.
However, this Labour Government is failing to do that. It is perfectly reasonable to expect that we would keep track of the 501 deportees. given their often criminal backgrounds. However, it appears that this is not the case. The Government knew about the dangers that the 501s posed early on, and has allowed it to balloon into a situation where gangs are recklessly discharging firearms, disobeying road rules and operating with impunity.
Last week’s shootings across Auckland suburbs are proof that gang tensions are at an all-time high, and police need all the support they can get to manage in this difficult time.
New Zealanders expect to be safe on the streets and in their homes, but the Police Minister is overseeing a soft approach to gangs which they are taking full advantage of. The Minister needs to stand up and deliver the necessary support to our frontline police. If we don’t do that now, shootings and firearm-related incidents will only becomemore frequent and innocent New Zealanders could be caught in the crossfire.
Ultimately, Australia is a sovereign nation with its own laws, and it has the right to deport non-citizens. Ideally with a change of administration in Australia it will open up a discussion to at least slow the arrival of 501s into New Zealand and allow our police to be able to track them and mitigate the harm they are causing.