Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is refusing to address the harm already caused by his country's 501 immigration policy.
He says he's confident in recent changes which will consider a deportee's connection to New Zealand. But our new PM Chris Hipkins says he wants more.
Pumped about his first trip on the Prime Ministerial plane and crossing the Tasman to catch up with old cobbers, Chris Hipkins received the warmest of welcomes in Australia.
There was a traditional smoke cleansing ceremony, before Hipkins used the most traditional Aussie greeting he knows to greet his new mate - 'G'day'.
Making fast friends were Chippy and Albo, the nicknamed Labour bros.
"We got on well," said Hipkins. "We have a lot in common. Leaders of Labour parties, relatively recent Prime Ministers of our countries."
There's more similarity than difference in the relationship of late. Albo the Aussie acting more like our cuzzie than his predecessor.
He's moved to extend the rights of Kiwis living in Australia.
Asked if New Zealanders are treated as second-class citizens in Australia, Hipkins said:
"The New Zealand Government's position is that we would like some reciprocity in that relationship, we would like to see New Zealanders living here in Australia treated similarly or the same as Australians living in New Zealand."
Anthony Albanese has also finally addressed the long-standing beef of deporting to New Zealand Kiwi citizens with little to no connection to Aotearoa.
"What's changed is we will have a common sense approach and bear in mind what a person's ties are to Australia when assessing these cases. That is common sense," he said.
Hipkins said there have been examples of those being deported to New Zealand with little to no connection to the country. He said that's an "unjust and unfair outcome".
But Australia is unwilling to address the unfairness that's already occurred. Albanese said he wouldn't consider making a retrospective law change.
Hipkins was asked whether the change in policy is an acknowledgement it was wrong and shouldn't that be addressed.
"In due course, over time, I am sure we'll continue to have those conversations. The position that Jacinda Ardern set out is still the New Zealand position. We'll continue to raise that as an issue and we will continue to push for improvements."
The man who caused much of the pain in the relationship, once referring to deportees as trash, is Peter Dutton, the former Home Affairs Minister and current Opposition Leader.
On Tuesday, he chose a less contentious trans-Tasman battle.
"Particularly around rugby and cricket where we can agree to disagree in a time-honoured tradition. You are a most welcome guest here and it is a great privilege and honour to have you in the chamber."
Hipkins was welcomed to the Australian Parliament House. He stepped foot into its debating chamber as Prime Minister before he's even done the same back in New Zealand's Parliament's debating chamber.
"I hadn't actually even thought about that until now, so I guess that's an interesting development."
He signed off on his first international trip as fast as he signed on.
