New Zealand criminals could stay in Australia under Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese has signalled Australia is likely to soften its stance on deporting criminals to New Zealand.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signalled Australia could soften its approach on the deportation of convicted criminals from New Zealand.

But the policy, which has been a major sticking point in the trans-Tasman relationship, will not be scrapped altogether.

Mr Albanese hosted New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for formal talks in Sydney on Friday.

She is the first foreign leader to visit Australia since the Labor leader was elected last month.

Speaking to reporters in Sydney, the pair declared the relationship had been “reset” and vowed to take collaboration between the two nations to the “next level”.

Mr Albanese and Ms Arden meet for their first formal talks in Australia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“What that means is new jobs, new growth, new opportunities to co-operate, both in terms of our economy … but also in the way that we act on the international stage,” Mr Albanese said.

The pair discussed the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific region and climate change.

Ms Ardern welcomed the Mr Albanese’s decision to take a new Australian emission reduction commitment to the United Nations.

“It is good for our region and good for the world when we work collaboratively on this extraordinary challenge,” she said.

A major complaint from successive New Zealand governments has been Australia’s deportation policy.

The change to section 501 of the Migration Act was made in 2015 and allows for the cancellation of visas on character grounds.

While the policy isn’t targeted at New Zealand, it is the most common nationality for such cancellations.

The pair talked up the reset in the relationship. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

During the meeting, Ms Ardern said she heard a “real awareness” from the Australian Prime Minister about the issue.

But there is still much to work through before a consensus could be reached, Mr Albanese said.

“ (Ms Ardern) has been very forceful in her views and we have listened to those views,” he told reporters.

“We will work through some of those issues and we’ll have a ministerial meeting or leaders meeting coming next month.

“Section 501 should be maintained but that there is also concerns have been raised that need to be taken into consideration, as friends.”

Ms Ardern expressed concern her stance had been “mischaracterised”, insisting she didn’t want Australia to dump its deportation policy but for “greater reciprocity”.

“There are some who are being deported from Australia who, for all intents and purposes, are Australian. Often with zero connection to New Zealand, sometimes not even having stepped foot there,” she said.

“So, anyone who claims that is somehow going to make Australia less safe, that is not true and it is not fair.”

Originally published as New Zealand criminals could stay in Australia under Anthony Albanese