Barry Soper: Pernicious Australian deportation policy a concern for Kiwis

Unlike John Key, who so charmed his Aussie counterpart Malcolm Turnbull that the pair even indulged in pyjama diplomacy with the Kiwi Prime Minister having a sleepover with him in Sydney, Jacinda Ardern's shown she has the ability to get under the Ocker shocker's skin.

Ardern, who'd never met Turnbull until she got the nod for the top job, harped on so much about taking Manus Island refugees that he gave her a wide berth when he was able to in Vietnam last year. He was irritated and Ardern should be congratulated for causing his irritation because it gives her a better base than Key ever had to address an issue that we should all be very concerned about.

The deportation of criminals from Australia to New Zealand allows the Aussies to wipe their hands of undesirables, many of whom went off the rails over there and have had no association with this country virtually from birth. .

The Australian Government is no friend of New Zealand and has little regard for the damage it's doing to this country by offloading low lifes and endangering our society. Instead they should be facing up to their responsibilities by accepting many of the deportees have little or no association with this country and have learned all their criminality in theirs.

Australia's deportation policy should be treated by Jacinda Ardern with boxing and not kid gloves when she meets Malcolm Turnbull in early March. Photo / AP

In the two years to January 2017, 660 Kiwi passport holders were sent packing and since then several hundred more have suffered the same fate. Many of them have joined gangs here, increasing the criminal sophistication of them.

This pernicious Australian policy should be treated by Ardern with boxing and not kid gloves when she meets Turnbull in early March.

A couple of current blood-boiling examples should be enough to convince her.

Born in American Samoa and adopted by a Kiwi uncle living in Australia, Alex Viane has never set foot in this country. This 40-year-old by his own admission is no angel, racking up a string of convictions, and is now being deported here as an undesirable character.

His partner, two daughters and two grandsons and large family are in Australia but his visa's been cancelled, he's in detention, with his bags packed.

Thirty-year-old Jacob Symonds is a nasty piece of work, with more than 200 convictions, racially motivated bashings, robbery and carrying weapons. Symonds is considered to be brain damaged because of excessive drug use and is a danger to society.

He moved to Australia with his adoptive parents when he was 1 but is being sent back here, essentially because the Aussies want to transfer the danger.

Is it worth a falling out with Australia over this? You betcha!