"Deportation " Solves Crime Problem !

Just after the end of the second world war Australia became the destination of a vast army of migrants escaping war torn Europe.   They arrived in packed shiploads and most started a new life here in migrant hostels as they struggled with a new language and found jobs in the workforce.  There was little pressure to get them to seek citizenship, and in particular - those coming from the United Kingdom were given automatic voting rights in recognition of the bonds between our two countries.

Decades later, our attitude to migrants changed dramatically.  We no longer insisted that they learn the English language and "assimilation "and "multiculturalism " became the watchwords.  Radio and television began to screen programmes in foreign languages and our new citizens were encouraged to maintain links with their former country.   Many gained Australian citizenship, but also continued to hold duel citizenship with their country of birth.

Many of those migrants came here as babies or toddlers.  Children are quickly able to learn languages and in many cases it was the children acting as interpreters for their parents who blended in to school communities - and lived their lives with no thought other than that they were now "Australian "!

It is coming as something of a shock to those who have become noted criminals that this lack of Australian citizenship has put a powerful weapon in the hands of the Australian government.   In particular, the eight hundred listed on the National Crime Threat data base who are not Australian nationals can be seized and deported to their country of birth.   This covers bikie gangs and those who support the terror tactics of IS in Syria.

Blind terror at the prospect of deportation has started a rush to apply and gain citizenship, but that is something that this country would be wise to refuse.  In many cases, these criminals may be married to an Australian citizen and have children by that union, but obviously we have a chance to rid the country of the worst of the criminal elements brazenly committing crimes - and that is a heaven sent opportunity that should not be denied.

We have started to deport New Zealand criminals who live in Australia but have not applied for and gained Australian citizenship.  This is straining relations across the Tasman, but it applies both ways. The Kiwi's have every right to send back Australian criminals offending against their laws and we are not objecting to that action.

No doubt the churches and charity groups will claim it unfair to deport those who arrived here as tiny babies - and who have no cultural links with their former homeland, but all the cards are now in the hands of law and order here in Australia.   We have every right to refuse citizenship to those engaging in known criminal activity, but we can hold actual deportation if they change their ways - and commit no further crime.

Of course, this is a temporary fix because those who have never considered their legal status but are crime free will obviously rush to gain citizenship, and will thereafter be immune to deportation if they later turn to crime for a living, but it presents an opportunity to decapitate the leaders of organized crime at the top of the crime totem pole.

Opportunity knocks !