NZ sends 8 Aussie criminals packing

New Zealand has deported eight Aussie criminals over the past three years, while Australia has expelled 1023 Kiwis.

The Australians were deported for criminal convictions or fraudulently obtained residence.

A quarter of the 1023 Kiwi deportees have subsequently been convicted of crimes, but there is no political will in New Zealand to reciprocate Australia’s policy.

Immigration lawyer Nicky Robertson said deportation cases in New Zealand were evaluated on circumstance, including the level of criminality.

‘‘The more serious an offence that a resident is convicted of, the more circumstances that outweigh why they shouldn’t be deported. They would have to be reasonably persuasive, especially if Immigration thinks there is a risk to the public.’’

Under New Zealand law, a noncitizen resident is liable for deportation if convicted for an offence earning at least three months’ imprisonment during their first two years of residence.

Residents of up to five years can be deported for offences earning two or more years imprisonment, and residents of up to 10 years for offences earning five or more years imprisonment.

Immigration New Zealand acting assistant general manager Senta Jehle said it was not possible to specify the convictions of each of the Australian deportees.

‘‘But they include fraud, attempted murder, drug offences, sex offences, burglary, and false passport offences.’’

The office of Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Australia was entitled to set its own immigration policies, and New Zealand had made its concerns about that policy plain to its Tasman counterparts.

Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said changing the current law for deporting criminal residents was not a priority.

Former immigration minister Michael Woodhouse was not motivated to retaliate through legislative change.

‘‘People can draw their own conclusions from the fairness or otherwise of the actions that [the Australian] Government is taking ... there’s no doubt though, that that has led to an increased risk in New Zealand.’’