Do not deport your people and your problems: Jacinda Ardern goes head-to-head with Scott Morrison

Jacinda Ardern used a Sydney meeting with Scott Morrison to launch a stunning attack on Australia’s visa and deportation policies, but the PM is unmoved.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has launched her strongest attack on the Australian government’s treatment of convicted Kiwi-born migrants, telling Scott Morrison “do not deport your problems”.

Facing a tough upcoming election battle at home, Ms Ardern called on the Prime Minister to give New Zealanders living in Australia under the two nations’ open borders agreement more “simple rights” following the two leaders’ annual bilateral talks in Sydney.

But she escalated criticism related to what she identified last year as “corrosive” to relations between the two countries – the Morrison government’s deportation of convicted non-citizens with little or no connection to New Zealand.

“Not every Kiwi migrant will be perfect,” Ms Ardern said, standing next to Mr Morrison outside Admiralty House, the Governor-General’s residence at Kirribilli.

“But evidence shows that the vast majority are providing a net benefit to Australia. They earn more, they are more likely to be employed, and they pay more tax than their Aussie counterparts. They are Australia’s best migrants.

“But rather than them being given security to keep contributing, in return, their rights are being eroded.”

Ms Ardern said “simple rights” denied to New Zealanders living in Australia included assistance from the National Disability Insurance Scheme “even though they pay into the scheme’s levy” and the ability to join the Australian Defence Force or federal public service.

“Kiwis want to contribute to the place that is now their home, but are not being given the potential to do that to their fullest.”

With deportations a sensitive issue for New Zealanders ahead of an election in September, Ms Ardern agreed Australia was “well within its rights to deport individuals who break your laws”.

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She said New Zealand did the same, but the Australian government’s policy took no account of New Zealand migrants who may have arrived soon after birth and always regarded themselves as Australian, yet were deported following convictions.

“We have a simple request – send back Kiwis. Genuine Kiwis. Do not deport your people and your problems.

“I’ve heard countless cases of individuals who, on any common sense test, identify as Australians. Just a few weeks ago I met a woman who moved to Australia, just one year old. “She told me she had no connection to our country but had three children in Australia. She was in a crisis centre, having returned to country she did not feel was her own.”

Mr Morrison, maintaining a fixed smile throughout a media conference as he stood next to Ms Ardern, said his government’s deportations policy was founded on national interest and would not change.

“The Australian government’s policy is very clear – we deport non-citizens who’ve committed crimes in Australia against our community. This policy is not applied specific to one country.”

The latest deportation row erupted over the father of AFL football star Dustin Martin, deported after 20 years in Australia because of his links to the outlaw Rebels bikie club.

Earlier private discussions between the two prime ministers were dominated by the approach of both governments to tackling the Coronavirus. In their public remarks, they were otherwise very effusive, highlighting their regular contact over the past 12 months during times of crisis.

While Ms Ardern expressed gratitude for enormous support following the Christchurch massacre and White Island volcano tragedy, Mr Morrison gave special thanks for 400 New Zealand firefighters who had supported local efforts during the bushfire crisis.

Ms Ardern spoke warmly in appreciation of how she could “pick up the phone” to Mr Morrison. She said New Zealanders felt deeply about the devastating impact of the summer fires.

Both leaders smoothed over policy differences on climate change. Ms Ardern deflected a question about her government’s 2050 carbon neutral target excluding agriculture, her nation’s biggest emissions sector, saying New Zealand was on track to become the first country with a farm-by-farm pricing mechanism for emissions. “That is the most direct way we can incentivise a reduction in emissions,” she said.

Asked how his government could work with the Adern government on climate change, Mr Morrison said New Zealand and Australia were “geographically and economically very different”. He applauded Ms Adern’s policy in the agriculture sector.