A law change there covering people with criminal convictions has seen the number of New Zealanders being held in detention centres double in just a few months.
Three months after the law change, which took place in December 2014, there were 84 New Zealanders in detention in Australia – and, by July, that figure had risen to 166.
The law has also increased the Australian Immigration Minister’s powers to cancel visas for relatively minor offences, and some of the people affected will also be sent back here.
Justice Minister Amy Adams said the government was not comfortable with Canberra’s policy.
“We don’t think the settings are quite right. They are creating some unfairness and we want Australia to review it,” she said.