New Zealanders kicked out of Australia at the rate of two a day
Australian Rules football star’s father is among those to get the boot because of biker gang links
Kiwi criminals living in Australia are getting their marching orders from officials as figures reveal almost two New Zealanders a day are getting sent home.
An investigation by The Courier Mail discovered 664 Kiwis had their visas cancelled in the last financial year after a law change in December 2014.
More than 3000 foreigners have had their visas revoked over the past three years, including murderers and members of street gangs, the Courier Mail reported.
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has been cancelling visas of foreign-born criminals on character grounds, which include if they have a substantial criminal record or they are suspected of being a member of a group involved in criminal conduct.
The most high profile case involved Shane Martin, father of premiership-winning AFL star Dustin Martin, who was booted out due to his Rebels motorcycle gang links.
Martin was deported back to New Zealand in March under “character grounds” in the Migration Act.
The Martin family are still fighting the Australian Government’s decision to deport him.
Dustin, 26, took out the prestigious Brownlow Medal last year with a record 36 votes during Richmond’s grand final run.
The Courier Mail reported tattooed bikie Jesse Johnston was another Kiwi on the list to be deported.
Johnston was holidaying in Indonesia on an alleged gang holiday in November when he was refused entry back in to Australia.
After being sent to Sydney and questioned by the authorities at the airport, the 22-year-old reportedly denied any links to the Finks gang.
Rebels gang boss Aaron “AJ” Graham was deported to New Zealand in October - despite winning a High Court appeal against his second visa cancellation.
Dutton cancelled Graham’s visa for a third time within hours of the High Court decision that his earlier visa cancellation decision was invalid.
New Zealander Jerome Sua is also facing deportation after bashing a prison officer at Port Phillip Prison in October.
He is currently fighting the case as he is held in immigration detention.
New Zealand national Maueofa Fakauafusi, who was involved in a riot at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Remand Centre in 2015, is also facing deportation.
Kiwi brothers Rick and Brett Kelly, who are currently serving a prison sentence, are at risk of deportation after abducting, bashing and torturing a man with a blowtorch.