Australia sends violent killer back to New Zealand

Julius Graff

A Kiwi murderer released from prison in Australia will be dumped in New Zealand despite his claims he has no family or friends here.

Julius Graff, 38, was jailed for 23 years in 1998 for a series of brutal street bashings, including the Sydney murder of taxi driver Youssef Chmeis.

His rampage of violence left two other men with permanent brain damage and severely handicapped, and saw him locked up for murder, robbery, actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

Labelling his crimes "abhorrent" and "repugnant", then Immigration and Border Protection minister Scott Morrison cancelled his visa in October last year.

"I consider Mr Graff's violent crimes, resulting in one person dead, one injured and one permanently incapacitated, are contrary to values held by the Australian community," Morrison said.

Graff's family spent tens of thousands of dollars appealing the decision in the Federal Court of Australia, to no avail.

His father, Joe Graff, told the Herald on Sunday this week that Graff posed "absolutely no" threat to the public in New Zealand.

"He's a new man. He has seen a lot of psychologists, a hell of a lot of programmes, and he's been doing everything that they wanted him to."

Graff was due to be released soon and is likely to live in Christchurch. He was an accomplished artist, and would try to get a job in construction.

His brother Barry said Graff had a better chance of a good life in Australia. "The system here is gonna chuck him in New Zealand when he's got no one there. The whole family is here. We can't drop everything and move."

He had never asked Graff about the offending. "He's trying to put it behind him."

Graff grew up in New Zealand and Australia, but has been living in Australia for 21 years. His six brothers, his parents, a son and a granddaughter live across the Tasman. His parents will need his care once he is released.

With fellow Kiwi Davina Leaituaalesi and another youth, Graff battered the taxi driver to death, by whipping him with his own belt, and punching and kicking him, before driving off in his car.

Ten days earlier, Graff attacked another taxi driver after hiring his cab, attacking him as he lay on the ground. He committed two other street attacks while on bail.

After Christchurch girl Jade Bayliss was murdered by a man who had killed a child in Australia, then Justice Minister Judith Collins called for a public register of serious criminals deported from Australia.

Her replacement, Amy Adams, said a change last month to the Public Safety (Public Protection Orders) Act allowed authorities to monitor deported criminals.

Adams said a formal register and monitoring scheme for sexual and violent offenders deported to New Zealand was being explored. The Government had also amended privacy laws in 2013 to allow police to reveal details of a criminal's past if there is a "serious threat to the life or health of that person or another person".

Sent home

So-called "violent giant" Hayden Te Wao was deported to New Zealand in April 2012. The 200kg, 2.1m man was kicked out for violent offending. He argued he would be killed by gangs if he returned to New Zealand.

Patricia Toia was deported to New Zealand in 2009. Toia had lived across the Tasman since she was a baby. She has been jailed 30 times, for crimes including trafficking heroin, robbery, weapons charges and assault.