Letter to the editor: Yobbos go home

Police and Immigration officers talk to the so-called "unruly tourists" in Hamilton. Photo / NZ Herald

The Minister of Immigration should find a way to deport, within 24 hours, the English group wreaking a trail of havoc across the country.

The suggestion that they should have 14 days to appeal the deportation notice to Immigration NZ and a further 28 days before a further appeal, is a nonsense. So is getting them to front up in court on minor burglary charges.

These yobbos have made it patently clear that they have no respect for New Zealand or the hard-working people in the hospitality industry, who have had to put up with treatment that is totally unacceptable.

New Zealand needs to make an example of them to show others who might think of visiting this country that we will not put up with behaviour of that nature. Otherwise we will become a laughing stock, and will be inviting others of similar ilk to put this country on their destination list.

Not taking that action will mean many more Kiwis will be abused by this group, and many more businesses subjected to appalling behaviour and loss of income.

If it's good enough for Australia to deport New Zealanders who do not have any history of living in this country, on the basis of mere association with possible undesirables, then it's good enough for New Zealand to act decisively in this case.

The Minister should be working with the airline that this group have tickets to depart New Zealand on, to get them on the earliest possible flight. They should be accompanied by two policemen to ensure that other passengers and aircrew are not harassed. If that means they need to be shipped out in handcuffs, then so be it.

The cost to the taxpayer and the public will be significantly less if this course of action is adopted.

Chris Leitch
Leader, Social Credit