A criminal defence lawyer thinks common sense has prevailed as deportations from Australia plummet. 

New Zealand Police data shows an average of 18 people a month have been deported to New Zealand in the past year. 

It's a decrease from a high of just under 44 in mid 2018. 

Lawyer Marie Dyhrberg told Mike Hosking that it's had a dreadful impact on a lot of people. 

She says people can be considered as having socially undesirable connections to a group, even without a criminal record. 

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