It’s a 150-year-old Māori tradition that's also practised in Australia.
All over the country, branches of Māori street wardens come together regularly to address anti-social behaviour in their communities.
It’s an issue one warden, Maria Kumar, says is rooted in a loss of cultural connection.
“It’s very important to stay connected to their culture because they’re in another country. When they’ve left NZ they’ve left a lot behind,” she told SBS News.
Ms Kumar is part of a group of around 30 wardens who have been patrolling Melbourne’s west for seven years.
Maori Wardens in Melbourne's west Source: SBS
They approach young people on buses and in shopping centres who may be skipping school or be engaging in anti-social behaviour, and try to engage them in conversation.
In all their time working in the area, the wardens - who are part of not for profit group Victoria Māori Wardens - say they have never experienced confrontation.
As senior women in the community, they say they command respect from Māori and Pacific Islander youths.
The wardens patrol on the bus. Source: SBS
Recently though, their work has taken on more significance as the Australian government’s changes to the visa character test have led to record numbers of deportations, affecting those from New Zealand.
“They’re teenagers at the moment but that’s still going to follow them. If they get involved with police continuously it is going to follow them down the line, we try to explain to them the laws have changed,” warden Tui Pikari said.
Visa cancellations
In the first three years of the character test, visa cancellations increased almost 1,600 per cent, from 76 in the 2013-14 financial year up to 1,277 in 2016-17.
Last year’s data shows the vast majority of cancellations affected New Zealand nationals, with 411 New Zealanders, 93 UK nationals, and 44 Vietnamese nationals having their visas cancelled.
New Zealand High Commissioner Dame Annette King says New Zealanders have low rates of dual citizenship in Australia, making them particularly vulnerable to the deportation policies.
She’s calling for reciprocity with New Zealand’s deportation laws.
“When people have lived in New Zealand for 10 years or longer they are now our responsibility and so if they commit a crime we don’t deport.”
New Zealander Christel Broederlow, who lives on the Gold Coast, has experienced the threat of deportation with her son Ethan.
Ethan Broederlow's family fought to have his visa cancellation overturned. Source: Nick Atkins/SBS News
He spent five months in prison for charges relating to a drug addiction that he’s now beaten. Upon release, he was taken to immigration detention.
“We just couldn’t sleep at night," she told SBS News.
"It was heart-wrenching [wondering] would our son be torn away from us? It was such an emotional rollercoaster. For my whole family, it was devastating.”
It was heart-wrenching wondering would our son be torn away from us? - Christel Broederlow
For two months they fought to have his visa cancellation overturned and three weeks ago they were successful.
Ethan, who is a father, says he is grateful for a second chance.
“My whole family is here, my son, the experience in itself was very traumatic.”
Tougher character test
The family now fear having to go through the process again as the government proposes to strengthen the character test.
Under the proposal, non-citizens convicted of a crime that carries a maximum sentence of at least two years can automatically fail the character test even if a jail term is not served.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called it corrosive to relations
Ms King says as the only people in Australia awarded indefinite work and resident visas, New Zealanders should be given special consideration.
“We think it’s going to make a bad situation worse for New Zealanders and we have argued for reciprocity," she said.
"But if that is not possible in the ministerial directions, when it goes to the minister [we would like] that a consideration is given for New Zealanders."
Mental health impact
Migration experts predict a five-fold increase in the number of migrants who would fail the character test But Immigration Minister David Coleman remains steadfast in his position, saying “this is about protecting the Australian community and we make no apologies for that.”
Edith Campbell of United Pasifika Council of Victoria says the law is destabilising the community.
“It doesn’t empower our people to be productive. They’re always living in fear worrying if they’ll be good enough to stay because a lot of what’s happening is splitting up families.”
Migration lawyer Ben Watt says the policy can be damaging to mental health.
“Some of my clients have attempted self-harm while they’ve been in immigration detention. A lot of them have come from maximum security prison and they’ve gone to immigration detention and it’s been worse for them.”
He says while visa cancellations are appropriate for serious criminals, it may be excessive for first time non-violent offenders
“It’s certainly very traumatising. In the cases I’ve worked on, in a large number of them it’s completely unnecessary.”
Labor has indicated it is likely to oppose the bill to strengthen the character test but is waiting for the final report from the Senate standing committee on 13 September.
More information about mental health is available at and (for people aged five to 25) on 1800 55 1800.
