In a show of shrewish squawking that seems strangely at odds with her endless prattle about “kindness”, Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly publicly berated her Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, on policy differences ranging from climate change to deporting NZ-born crims from Australia. It is the latter that has inspired Ardern’s most acrid harangues. Squealing that the policy was “corrosive” (unlike, apparently, scolding an ally from a shared podium), Ardern huffed and puffed that Australia should take care of its “own” problems instead of contributing to New Zealand’s growing gang crime.
Of course, she’s wrong on both counts.
Firstly, NZ citizens are only Australia’s “problem” insofar as they break the law here. In which case, Australia has every right to send them packing – just as, hypocritically, Ardern’s government does with hundreds of Pacific Islanders.
Secondly, Ardern is just plain wrong that Australia’s deportation of Kiwi crims is behind New Zealand’s skyrocketing gang crime.
New Zealand’s gang numbers have exploded over the past three years with new figures showing a 46 percent increase in membership.
And[…]despite what the Government has been telling us, only a minuscule amount of that increase can be blamed on Aussie deportees.
Gang membership has exploded under Ardern’s watch. Since her government took office, official figures show an increase of 46 percent – nearly 2500 new, ‘genuine Kiwi’ gangsters.
Jacinda Ardern wants you to believe that that’s all wicked Scott Morrison’s fault.
The Government has consistently pointed the finger at Australia, saying deportees are fueling the gang boom.
“It’s exacerbated by the deportation that the Australian Government has undertaken,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. “It most certainly contributed to what we’re seeing in New Zealand now. Absolutely.”
Except it’s absolutely not. Either Ardern is utterly ignorant of the facts or she’s lying through her teeth.
Of the 2500 new gang members in the last three years, only 41 are deportees from Australia. That makes up just 1.7 percent of the new recruits.
“The Prime Minister seems to like blaming Australia for our problems, but in this case the data does not support her position,” says ACT leader David Seymour. “This gang growth under her Government is 98 percent homegrown.”
So who really is to blame?
“This Government is soft on crime,” says National leader Judith Collins.
Newshub
Well, that’s just unfair. Look at the tough, no-nonsense they’ve taken in response to Waikeria Prison rioters, or illegal Maori roadblocks.
Still, I suspect Scott Morrison will be too polite to ask Jacinda Ardern for a public apology.
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