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A Maori teacher living across the Tasman says problems with Australia’s visas go further than the risk of being deported if you commit a crime.
Erina Morunga from Iwi n Aus says she started researching Australia’s immigration policies soon after moving over nine years ago because she was concerned about the education prospects of her five young tamariki.
What she found was confusing language, retrospective provisions and a growing prejudice on the part of Australian authorities.
"It’s led to what we're seeing now and that is the ground opening up and anyone, it doesn't matter how long they have lived in Australia, can fall through these massive cracks with the amendment to the Migration Act. People don't realise you don't even have to commit a crime, you don't even need to have a conviction to be deported now. Failure of a character test is the requirement to be held in detention and deported and that's at the discretion of the minister," Mrs Morunga says.
Iwi n Aus is trying to make non-citizens aware of their rights or lack of them, and to advocate for change.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH ERINA MORUNGA CLICK HERE
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MzYzMjU=
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