New Zealand Maori leader Matthew Tukaki lashes out at Australian govt's 'Migration Act'

Maori leader Matthew Tukaki recently lashed out at the Australian government's policy of sending back people with criminal convictions known as "501s" and said Jacinda Ardern-led government is trying to turn New Zealand into a "dumping ground". The chair of the National Maori Authority expressed concern over the rise in gun violence in Auckland, saying that "if we are not careful," the city could witness the same gang wars that occurred in the early 2000s in both Sydney and Melbourne, reported Sputnik. Tukaki pointed out the Australian government's policy of deporting non-citizens who have been sentenced to prison.

According to a report by Sputnik, "New Zealand has got to stop being the dumping ground for Australian criminals," Tukaki remarked on Monday. "Quite frankly, I don’t think any Australian would accept their country becoming a penal colony," he added. He also said that the government of New Zealand had raised the issue of deportation policy over many years, but the Australian government had not paid any attention and so it was time to "play hardball."

Matthew Tukaki blames the Australian government for rise in criminal activities in New Zealand

Tukaki stated that blaming New Zealand politicians is pointless and that the problem can only be solved by not allowing Australian chartered planes to land in New Zealand. The tension between New Zealand and Australia has escalated due to the use of Section 501 of Australia's Migration Act, which cancels the visa on character grounds and is most commonly used against New Zealanders. Notably, the cancellation of visas under the policy has dramatically increased in the last 10 years, resulting in the revocation of the visa in cases where a person has been sentenced to one year in prison.

As per reports, in the last year, more than 900 visas were canceled under section 501, which included cases like drug offenses and assault. Around 400 visas belonged to New Zealand nationals, followed by 101 from the United Kingdom. On the other hand, the Australian government has clearly stated that individuals who are involved in criminal activities do not belong in this place. However, at this point, Tukaki suggested that the situation would improve if both countries created a joint task force to work "instead of just deporting the problem away."

Image: AP/Twitter/@tukakimatt