Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese greets his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern ahead of a bilateral meeting in Sydney. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
Australia will continue with its controversial 501 deportation system, despite \"forceful\" feedback from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.<\/p>\n
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a joint news conference he had listened to Ardern - but the practice of deporting criminals to their birth country would continue.<\/p>\n
\"We'll be maintaining Section 501, but we've heard the very clear message from the Prime Minister, as we've heard before,\" the new Australian PM said.<\/p>\n
Albanese said Ardern had argued forcefully for New Zealand's interests and raised concerns about the 501s.<\/p>\n
He expressed some empathy for New Zealand's position, saying if he were in Ardern's position, he would make similar arguments.<\/p>\n
The relevant law is Section 501 of Australia's Migration Act, which gives Australia's immigration minister some discretion to cancel visas.<\/p>\n
Albanese struck an upbeat tone, suggesting his country was popular again in the international community after nine years of malaise under his Liberal Party predecessors.<\/p>\n
\"It's like Australia has gone out of the naughty corner.\"<\/p>\n
He voiced enthusiasm for renewable energy targets and addressing the challenges of global warming.<\/p>\n
Apart from deportations, a major issue in bilateral and regional relations has been surging Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n
Albanese was asked about China's presence in the Pacific, and how closely his views aligned with Ardern's.<\/p>\n
\"We're in lockstep on the Pacific,\" he responded.<\/p>\n
Defending national sovereignty and supporting sustainable development were key priorities in Australia's Pacific outlook, Albanese said.<\/p>\n
He said Pacific nations, with some justification, had felt Australia in recent years had not engaged with sufficient levels of respect.<\/p>\n
And in a thinly-veiled repudiation of the relationship under previous Australian PM Scott Morrison, Ardern referred to her meeting with Albanese as a chance for a \"reset\".<\/p>\n
On 501s, she said New Zealand obviously deported people too - but especially individuals who had been in the country only a short time.<\/p>\n
\"What we've simply asked is there's greater reciprocity.\"<\/p>\n
The irritation with Section 501 related to the deportation to New Zealand of people who were effectively Australian, she said.<\/p>\n
Ardern said Albanese's comments around the expulsions showed a significant shift in Australia's approach.<\/p>\n
Ardern told reporters she was grateful for Albanese's hospitality.<\/p>\n
\"There are no two countries that I can think of that have a closer relationship than ours,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Ardern this afternoon also mentioned the Christchurch Call, which encouraged social media companies to clamp down on violent extremist content.<\/p>\n
Earlier today, Ardern discussed cost of living and inflation problems plaguing many nations.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Australian TV, Ardern said multilateral efforts could help ease global supply chain problems.<\/p>\n
The PM also urged Australians to cross the Tasman this ski season and encouraged skilled Aussies - such as those with construction or IT qualifications - to consider emigrating.<\/p>\n
Albanese today described New Zealand and Australia's relationship as \"family\".<\/p>\n
The new PM said he and Ardern were determined to take transtasman relations to a new level.<\/p>\n
\"What that means is new jobs, new growth, new opportunities to co-operate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Albanese said shared bilateral concerns included climate change and regional geopolitical competition.<\/p>\n
\"Our approach is based upon respect, transparency and engagement with Pacific institutions.\"<\/p>\n
Before today's meeting, both sides alluded to possible changes to deportations.<\/p>\n
Albanese described Ardern as a \"very good friend\" heading into the meeting and said they enjoyed a wonderful dinner last night.<\/p>\n
\"We are great friends and I want to build on that. It is probably more important than it has ever been,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Our people-to-people relations are so strong,\" the new PM added.<\/p>\n
\"And I'm sure we can work through those issues much more cooperatively and with win-win outcomes.\"<\/p>\n
He said the Anzac nations would \"work through\" bilateral issues heading into a leadership dialogue next month where they would be discussed in more detail.<\/p>\n
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Jacinda Ardern fronts media with Australian PM Anthony Albanese after ...<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese greets his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern ahead of a bilateral meeting in Sydney. Photo \/ Getty Images Australia will continue with its controversial 501 deportation system, despite \"forceful\" feedback from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a joint news conference he had listened to Ardern - but the practice of deporting criminals to their birth country would continue Continue reading