By Staff Writer
Scheduled talks between the New Zealand and Australian leaders last week caught passing interest in Samoa over the issue of citizens deportation.
NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met with Australia’s newly elected leader, PM Anthony Albanese, and the contentious ‘deportation 501’policy was a key issue included in their discussions
New Zealand media kept close track of the deportation policy on people with little connection or history in New Zealand deported from Australia.
PM Ardern had already told former PM Scott Morrison “not deport your people and your problems” which is often blamed for inflating gang tensions in New Zealand.
Senior Samoa immigration officer, Mr. Valavala Siaopo, felt that the local interests here are on deportees with Samoan heritage.
But he felt the issue is officially a matter where they are either Australian or New Zealand citizens so it is a matter for the two countries.
Many of the Samoans who are now living in Australian moved there through New Zealand where it was easier under close relations between the two countries.
“If we do have a Samoan citizen deported from Australia or New Zealand, there is a process to follow that involves police and health records.” Siaopo explained.
The process is an involved one where information on the deportees are required by the Ministries of Police, Health and also Foreign Affairs before any go ahead is allowed for the person to be deported home.
‘Usually the people who are most likely to be deported have committed serious criminal offences whereas minor ones like traffic accidents are let go.
“We do have people deported back to Samoa but it is usually around four to five deportees a year, so it’s very low.”
The leaders talk last Thursday ended with what the media reported as Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowing to “…to consider changing how the government handles visa cancellations in an olive branch to ease longstanding tensions with New Zealand.”
“The pledge to look at tweaking the scheme prompted the visiting New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to declare the talks in Sydney on Friday allowed for “a reset” in the trans-Tasman relationship,” according to international media reports.