Jacinda Ardern is missing the point yet again

Australia and New Zealand may be allies, but that’s no excuse to allow criminals to enjoy our way of life while obeying none of the laws. A point which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern seems to be overlooking, writes Peta Credlin.

Back in the 1890s, at the time of our federation, New Zealand was offered the chance to join our country as a state of Australia. It didn’t happen but that hasn’t stopped them wanting all the benefits of being Australian, as well as the independence you get when you’re a sovereign country.

New Zealanders are the only people — apart from Australian citizens, of course — with an automatic right to work and reside in Australia.

Until quite recently, Kiwis living here — and there’s about 650,000 of them — could even vote in Australian elections and access all Australian social security benefits even though they weren’t citizens. So, it’s not like Kiwis aren’t getting a special deal.

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Now, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, is bleating about the number of Kiwis being deported back to New Zealand after committing serious crimes here in Australia.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the issue during a visit to Australia this week. Picture: AAP/David Crosling

Until Peter Dutton became border protection minister, this was a rarity; but, on his watch, about 1500 Kiwi criminals, many of them bikies involved in the drug trade — have been sent back to New Zealand.

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Like Dutton, I don’t accept that any foreigner who has committed a serious crime in Australia should be allowed to remain here. And while this principle might offend our Kiwi cousins, if you’re not an Australian — and you commit a serious crime — you don’t get to stay here, whether you’ve come over the ditch, or a much bigger expanse of sea.

Originally published as Jacinda Ardern is missing the point yet again