The Unlevel Playing Field

Australian immigration provide Ex Pat sports stars a “keep your visa free” card.

Australian Immigration minister Alex Hawke recently announced that “additional flexibility” will be awarded to those who meet his new visa criteria vision.

It appears that Ex Kiwi Quade Cooper is the catalyst and first to be rewarded.

In New Zealand, Quade is generally seen as the mortal enemy that dared to knee Richie McCaw in the head during the All Blacks 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. An act he later admitted “was on purpose”.

Most of Aotearoa also sniggered when Quade was turned back from the RIO Olympics trying to represent the Green and Gold while holding a NZ passport.

Now, after four unsuccessful attempts at gaining Australian Citizenship, Quade got the nod.

Is it a coincidence this happened after his successful return to the Wallaby Rugby Union XV? Especially considering he is part of a team that has won 4 games on the trot. The first time since chips were cheap. Rugby Australia CEO Hamish McLennan joined in, stating that it is the “right Australian thing to do”.

However, Quade does not exactly have a squeaky-clean past, at odds with Immigration Australia's current hard-liner stance regarding NZ Citizens living in their great southern land.

Back in the heady days of Quade fame, he was charged after a 4am burglary of 2 laptops in Surfers Paradise. The QLD Police later dropped the charges and allowed Quade to settle out of court.

Then a 6-month license suspension for driving while unlicensed also seemed to fly under the radar.

I guess the question must be asked, does this seem like the actions of a person who meets Australian Immigrations citizen criteria?

Remembering that you do not have to go to Prison to have your visa cancelled across the ditch. Section 116(1)(e) of the immigration act “allows for the cancellation of a visa holder where the holder poses a risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community” This can be applied to circumstances before or after 2015.

But let's not just focus on Mr. Cooper.

Kiwi international and NRL rugby league stars have been given the same grace. Kevin Proctor and test captain Jesse Bromwich both managed to dodge the deportation bullet.

During the 2016 Rugby League World Cup, they were both caught on CCTV in Canberra “buying an illicit drug”. If you have seen the footage, it is obvious they did more than just buy it. Their names were mentioned in court while the person selling the cocaine got charged and convicted. But, regardless of damning CCTV footage, and due to the fact, they had both “left the scene” before the Police arrived, no charges were filed.

Kevin and Jesse were sacked from the 2016 Kiwi world cup team, feeling the wraith of then head coach David Kidwell. Both were quoted as being “devastated and remorseful”.

Unfortunately, Mr. Proctor didn’t learn his lesson. May 2017 he was caught up in a Gold Coast Titans drug scandal. Fined $20,000 by his club and given 50 hours of community service, he again “regrated it sincerely”. Backed up by his then CEO who stated that he was sure Kevin was “absolutely sincere”. Kevin continues to reside in Australia playing NRL for the Titans.

Jesse Bromwich went on to win a further two NRL grand finals with the Melbourne Storm in 2017 and 2020.

However, Kiwi sport stars are not the only nationality afforded the grace of Australian immigration.

English Rugby League superstar Sam Burgess also has a dubious history worthy of a second look. After leading the South Sydney Rabbits to a long awaited grand final win in 2014, life took a downward turn.

The 2014 Clive Churchill medal winning prop had a year to forget in 2021. After repeated denials, he came clean. He was guilty of being caught driving under the influence of cocaine in an unregistered BMW. Perhaps his career ending injury and drug rehab granted him clarity.

The tell all interview on channel sevens “Australian SAS” was hard to watch. Along with his drug issues Sam also reflected on the rumors of his failed marriage and accusations of abuse towards his then wife.

SAS Australia show host Ant Middleton, who was one of two who interviewed Sam, stated that he “understood all too well”. Not surprisingly, Mr. Middleton received a “visitors pass” to Australia, regardless of him spending time in UK Prison after being convicted of unlawfully wounding a Police Officer.

Unfortunately, Kiwi 501 returned offenders are not afforded the same leniency. The fact is, they are not allowed back to Australia. Not even to visit family, attend a funeral, or a short stay with loved ones.

Yet Immigration Australia’s chief Alex Hawke deems sports stars to be “exceptional people” with “unique demands of the very work they do”. It now appears that sport personality Ex Pats can break the law and remain firmly grounded down under.

Perhaps Mr. Hawke should also consider the “unique demands” facing some kiwi families, who’s worlds have been torn apart by the overly harsh restrictions placed on deportees.

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