Jacinda Ardern’s public spat with Scott Morrison was embarrassing
OPINION: I’ve never understood why our Government has a problem with Australia’s deportation laws that allow it to send back our criminals.
Under changes made in 2014 to section 501 of Australia’s Migration Act, an individual can be deported if they fail a character test, which includes being sentenced to at least 12 months’ imprisonment. I have no problem with that – none whatsoever.
In fact, I’d go as far to say that 12 months in prison is lenient – being deported for a criminal conviction seems reasonable to me. Yes, it’s tough for those who have lived there for a long time and have no connections in New Zealand. Unfortunately for them, that’s Australian law. It’s quite simple really – don’t commit crime and you won’t get deported.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s confrontation with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison two weeks ago was embarrassing. Imagine if a leader of another country came to New Zealand and, in front of a media audience, told our PM to change our laws. Ardern’s public statement to Morrison included: “Australia is well within its rights to deport individuals who break your laws. New Zealand does the same. But we have a simple request: Send back Kiwis, genuine Kiwis – do not deport your people and your problems.”
I guess the 2000 deportees so far aren’t “genuine Kiwis” except that they were all born here and probably have New Zealand passports. Oh, and most of those deported are men of Māori or Pacific descent. Hmmm, they sound like “genuine Kiwis” to me.
In response to our PM’s statement, Morrison showed class: “There’s one simple word and that’s respect. Our countries respect each other and we respect our sovereignty of each country to make rules that are in the best interest in the view of their governments”.
He was, of course, spot on. Ardern’s attempt to give the Australian PM a public dressing-down did nothing to foster relationships between our two countries.
Morrison went on to say: “I would totally expect that the New Zealand Government would always make decisions in their national interests and would take no exception to their sovereign right to do so. Australia will do the same thing.”
Yes, that’s how countries operate – we each make and enforce our own laws and we stay out of the internal affairs of other countries.
The Australian PM went on to explain his country’s position succinctly by pointing out that: “When you become a citizen, well you’ve joined the club and if you violate our laws at that point, then that is on our watch and Australia has to take care of those situations. But if you’ve committed a crime and you’re not a citizen of Australia, then you have no right to stay.”
Why is that so difficult for our PM to understand?
OK, yes – I know that the arrival of the deportees has led to major changes in the gang scene in New Zealand, especially with the establishment here of chapters affiliated to various Australian outlaw motorcycle gangs. If gang members choose to participate in criminal activities, then police need to deal with them – that’s their job after all. If police aren’t resourced to do their job effectively, then that’s an issue for our Government.
Speaking of “genuine Kiwis” in Australia, it was brought to my attention that there are now specialised roles in hospitals in Australia for Maori and Pacific Islanders. Apparently, this is to deal with the “high levels of unmet health needs and over-representation” of Maori and Pacific Islander children in the “child safety and youth justice populations”.
The advertisement for nurse navigator roles for Maori and Pacific Islanders on the Queensland Government website says: “For this job it is a genuine occupational requirement that it be filled by a Maori or Pacific Islander person as permitted and arguable under sections 25 and 104 of the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991.”
As a Maori who has lived and worked in Australia, I can’t make up my mind whether the establishment of such roles for Maori and Pacific Islanders because of “high levels of unmet health needs and over-representation” of Maori and Pacific Islander children in the “child safety and youth justice populations” is sad or embarrassing – or perhaps it is both.
Steve Elers is a senior lecturer at Massey University, who writes a weekly column for Stuff on social and cultural issues.
How long will Steve Elers keep his job at Massey University after writing material that doesn’t suit the narrative?
Will there be another deplatforming of someone with the wrong opinion?
Or is dissention now tolerated because universities have had their foreign student gravy train delayed by Wuhan Flu travel restrictions?
This was a well written piece of journalism that was shock! horror! published on Stuffed. I said to the wife, the media is starting to turn on Jacinda.
If they keep publishing writings like this, the end is nigh for the leftist scum and their silly little girl leader.
If only we could have confidence that what will replace her come September will really be any better.
There is two things at play here —the MSM’s adoration of Ardern and their falling sales/revenue. The later will always win when it comes to choice.
The inevitable question of this article is however; is the requirement for specialised Maori and Pacific Island healthcare in Australia representative of white, colonial oppression?
So they have a special Act allowing racism against whites. Interesting.
They can fix this. Deport Maori and Islanders as soon as the go off the rails.
She is loathed by every right minded and informed person.
Anyone who continues to support this vile psycho is a nasty and dangerous threat to society.
She has a history of showing rudeness to the Aussies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkl8hMhX4z0
Jacinda Ardern challenges PM over “corrosive” deportation policy | Nine News Australia
Despite that this is one occasion that I support her.
The Aussies have acted like the scum they came from over this issue.
Yes their law may be in their favour , however in many of these cases (and for other countries as well), some of these people went there as small children, have lived there for many years and so have been trained in their jobs by the Aussies.
Why they should get away with exporting their trained terrorists to other countries escapes my lojic.
Recent arrivals certainly.
Many of these people have no connections outside of Aussie. and many have wives and children in Aussie.
Imagine someone doing that to yourself, even if you were mad or bad and imagine the effect on those left behind.
Has it made difference to aussie and its crime rate? Doubt that.
Has it made a difference to ours? Certainly has.
One of the consequences of this is that gangs on both sides will devlop greater ties and the gangs on this side will become more vicious and organised and we are seeing that already.
Is that something we wanted?
Another Key fuck up as far as I can see. Another appeasement. Of course he has fucked off and left us to deal with it. That’s the Nats for ya.
Its to be seen if Simon can be tough enough to bust ot up.
With all the tough police leaving ,crims will run our towns and they have already some tough leaders born of Aussie.
Think consequences not what might be legal.
Morrison of course is a jackass who came here and was happy to take taxpayers money for the job he did but doesn’t even have the decency to consider that.
Dutton was a policeman before he became a pollie. Pity he didn’t lock up his own gangs.
Still the arsehole is getting a bit of his kama back.
Nah your wrong on this Viking. If these scum haven’t got the brains not to commit a crime, why should the aussies have them?
It really is that simple. They had the chance to become citizens way back., but didn’t. Now it’s no good bleating about it.
Wrong for all the reasons I said.
Why would we wnat them.
I sureley don’t and I don’t want my tax money to have to be used on australia’s [problem.
Maybe you guys do.
Pay away.
It’s not that we want them either. But it’s not our place to tell the aussies how to run their country. I repeat, If they are too thick not to get citizenship when they had the chance, and continue to commit crimes, why should they stay in a country that doesn’t want or need them.
Tough luck Viking.
These are serious crims and gang bangers. Just look at the mayhem they’ve caused here. Aussie owes them nothing.
Exactly my point.
This is well worth a read.
Heather du Plessis-Allan: If coronavirus travel ban was a political decision, NZ is paying a high cost
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12316708