Barry Soper: Top diplomat Chris Seed talks fairness and responsibility

Winston Peters. Photo / Supplied

It was a parting shot to the Aussies and coming from a diplomat it'll hopefully resonate.

Our top diplomat in Canberra Chris Seed, who's term is about to end, appeared before their Parliament's migrant committee and talked to the MPs about fairness and responsibility.

Any fair minded person would accept his argument without question.

Kiwis have been treated like second class citizens there since John Howard in 2001 changed the rules when Helen Clark was Prime Minister.

Up until then we were treated the same as Aussies there, we had the same rights and as a consequence few people sought to change their citizenship and now they find it difficult to.

And with changes to immigration laws four years ago it's got even tougher.

Kiwis who've lived their for most of their lives, who've married Australians and have families, have to be on their best behaviour.

Even if they came as a toddler and learned up their criminal behaviour from the Aussies, they're still being sent back to this country in droves.

In fact more New Zealanders are now sent packing than any other nationality, it used to be one a week, now it's at least one a day.

It's as though we've become their public enemy number one even though we are more successful and pay more tax than any other migrant group.

And that's the responsibility and fairness argument that Seed hammered home to the Ocker shockers.

In this country if an Aussie has lived here for ten years and they commit a crime they won't be deported because we accept that they're New Zealand's problem.

All we're asking for is a fair suck of the sav.

Up until now our politicians have pussyfooted around the Australian political establishment.

During Prime Ministerial meetings we've been careful not to offend, even though they've been offensive to us.

Winston Peters at least tells them how it is, saying you can't guild the lily on this one. Since our special relationship changed he says things haven't been the way we want them to be.

Peters says we need to appeal to the fairness of the Australian people.

Certainly appealing to the politicians has fallen on deaf ears.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott had a Kiwi wife, from the nappy valley town of Wainouimata. It certainly didn't make him any more empathetic.

Current top dog Scott Morrison lived here a while ago, helping to develop the slogan, 100 percent New Zealand Pure.

Now he's finally got the chance to practice what he preached when he was on the tourism payroll but don't hold your breath!