Trans-Tasman agreement on deported offenders

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and his Australian state and territory counterparts have agreed to develop better processes for sharing Corrections information across borders about deported offenders.

The issue of deported offenders was discussed at the recent Corrective Services Ministers conference held in Darwin.

A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between New Zealand and Australian state and territory Corrections ministers was signed at the conference.  It will ensure the development of better processes for sharing critical Corrections information that will better inform officials in their dealings with offenders who have been returned to their home countries.

“My fellow ministers and I acknowledged that the safety of the New Zealand and Australian public is paramount.  Ensuring we have the right type of information about these offenders in a timely manner is key,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Between 60 and 100 offenders are deported to New Zealand each year, with the majority coming from Australia.

“It is essential that Corrections, Justice and Police have quality information about deported offenders returning to New Zealand so that they know whether they pose a risk to society and determine how they will be managed, monitored and supported appropriately,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

The Memorandum of Cooperation is a step forward in the development of a formal and broader arrangement between the New Zealand and Australian governments to share information about trans-Tasman deportations.