Opinion: Will a new Australian Prime Minister stop deporting New Zealanders?

OPINION: A meme did the rounds in Australia today: "Scott Morrison completes six-minute journey to Government House without once stopping for a holiday."

It's one of many I've seen today, yesterday, last week and in previous months.

It's no secret in Australia, Morrison has become the centre of many jokes.

But today he did something no Australian Prime Minister has managed to do in the past 15 years - survive a full term and ask for a second.

Most Australians will tell you the biggest election issue here is the climate. Jacinda Ardern will likely tell you New Zealand's biggest issue is the 501 deportation law.

If Morrison gets a second term its impact filters to New Zealand in the form of gang crime.

And Scott Morrison doesn't care. He's refused to compromise with Ardern over 501s throughout his entire term.

If re-elected he will keep pursuing changes to the law - meaning he can send more 501s home to New Zealand.

But if Labor are elected, the policy is unlikely to change. What will, is they're more likely to engage with Ardern - perhaps find a compromise, something Ardern and Morrison have struggled with.

And you don't need a meme to tell you, the 501s issue is not a joke to New Zealanders - on either side of the Tasman.

Emma Cropper is Newshub's Australia Correspondent based in Sydney.