The thorny trans-Tasman issues of deportations and refugee resettlement won't be going away in Scott Morrison's next term in government, according to New Zealand's prime minister.
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New Zealand's government and diplomats have since 2017 increasingly raised concerns about a sharp rise in the deportation of Kiwis who have lived significant lengths of time in Australia, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in February describing it as "corrosive" to the Antipodean relationship.
She's also reiterated a long-standing New Zealand offer to take in 150 asylum seekers being held in offshore detention by Australia, but has been repeatedly rebuffed.
Ahead of last week's election, Labor had pledged to accept the resettlement offer and was seen by some Kiwis in Australia as more open to their concerns, while the Coalition has defended its right to deport non-citizens and argued that accepting the asylum seeker deal would serve as a marketing tool for people smugglers.
Ardern on Monday said Morrison's upset victory wouldn't change New Zealand's posture.
"My job is to represent New Zealand's view and interests and, in that regard, my position and New Zealand's position has not changed," she told reporters.
"That doesn't stop us from having, of course, a productive relationship. And we will continue to do so, but I will also continue to advocate around the issue of deportation."
She said she had not raised the topics with Morrison when she called to congratulate him with over the weekend.
New Zealand's centre-right opposition, meanwhile, has been buoyed by the Coalition's victory, with National Party leader Simon Bridges saying he was delighted by the result.
He too said the deportation issue was one New Zealand needed to keep pursuing, but he wasn't hopeful about change.
"It's hard to get traction on these issues. ... We need to keep at it but there has to be some realism about how much is achievable," he said.
Australian Associated Press