Australia has added insult to injury, with a senior government minister describing New Zealanders being deported here as "taking out the trash".
Australian television network 9 News was given extraordinary access by Australia's Border Force to 501 deportees as they boarded a chartered flight to New Zealand.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern kept a diplomatic tone on the matter today - but some of her other ministers got fired up - Chris Hipkins so much so that he put his foot in it.
9 News journalist Jordan Fabris's story sees him speaking to 501 deportees as they cross the tarmac.
He says to one "our country doesn't want you, are you excited to go home?" and to another "how does it feel to be kicked out of Australia?".
It also includes clips of Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton saying "over the course of the last 12 months or so Border Force has been able to deport over 700 people".
"It's taking the trash out, then we can make Australia a safer place".
Ardern has repeatedly described Australia's deportation policy as "corrosive" for trans-Tasman relations, but she did not bite when asked about Dutton's comments today.
Australian minister Peter Dutton and New Zealand minister Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ
"Look, I've taken the same view for a very long time ... so his comments don't change my view," she said.
Ardern said she had made it clear that she felt the policy, which often saw people who had spent most of their life in Australia sent to New Zealand, was not right or fair.
"The Australian leadership is very aware of our view on it and it hasn't changed. In terms of the fact that there's now video footage, as I say, we take the same position we always have. We're not going to get into a tit for tat over it, I don't think that takes us anywhere."
This story comes amid tensions over Australia's decision to revoke citizenship of terror suspect Suhayra Aden who was detained in Turkey with her two children, after trying to cross the border from Syria.
Aden, who also has New Zealand citizenship, is likely to be sent here.
National Leader Judith Collins said the trans-Tasman relationship was at the worst level she had seen in her time in politics.
"It seems as though the relationship is one where there's a lot of blaming going on between each side and I actually think one of the things we can do is to repair the damage and to understand that Australia is our closest ally and friend and helps us out a lot and we do need to have a respectful relationship", she said.
Ardern denied there was rift.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
"There is no breakdown in our relationship at all, we have an excellent relationship with our counterparts in Australia, indeed, myself with PM Morrison, we speak frequently and we work together often. It just so happens on this issue we strongly disagree," she said.
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta was more prepared to weigh in on Dutton's language, saying that his comments "only serve to trash his own reputation".
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins went further - perhaps too far - describing the 501s as "garbage".
"This is Australia exporting its garbage to New Zealand. Their criminal offending has been in Australia ... many of them have lived the vast bulk of their lives in Australia. This is a deplorable move by the Australian government."
He immediately tried to walk back the "garbage" reference.
"Probably should have chosen a better frame of words, I'm just reflecting back the question that I was asked. If that is Peter Dutton's view of it, then he is exporting his rubbish to New Zealand".
Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi said Dutton's comments were awful.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"I call on the minister to retract and apologise about those particular comments, because our people are not trash. The bigger issue is that this government needs to be talking to the Australian government about how we can work those particular situations and make the transition a lot more easier," he said.
But Collins said that New Zealand should retaliate by adopting a similar policy.
"No Australian politician that I can see is deciding that they're going to reverse this stance.
"New Zealand should be much tougher in deporting people who are in fact criminals here. If we have people in New Zealand who are Australian citizens who are breaking our law, particularly in serious matters, yes I think we should send them back," she said.
