"The reality is we don't have a choice. These people are arriving and we either turn our backs and let them disappear off into the ether without knowing what risk they pose or where they are, or we try and do our best to manage it."
Ms Adams said public protection and extended supervision orders could be imposed on the most serious offenders under existing law. "But ... it's an incredibly high threshold to meet. The concern is that there are and will be a number of criminals deported ... who are not at that threshold but still pose potential risk to New Zealand."
The extent of monitoring under a new law would depend on the crime committed and length of sentence.
The Government could not impose parole on deportees because the Parole Board had no jurisdiction over Australian prisons.
"We've had to create a framework that replicates it through a different mechanism. It isn't parole but it will be monitoring conditions. There will be standard oversight and reporting type conditions that apply."
The law would allow for stricter limitations on those considered to be higher risk and provide support for reintegration into the community.
Ms Adams said she could not guarantee deportees would not reoffend but did not believe the risk was any higher than for a New Zealand offender.
This year, Australia changed its policy so non-citizens were stripped of their visa if they were sentenced to more than a year in jail.
Canberra has refused to budge on the policy despite appeals by Prime Minister John Key.
Today's step follows an agreement a month ago for Australia to warn New Zealand authorities six months in advance of who would be deported and provide detailed information including their criminal records, case histories, gang associations, finger prints and photographs.
It will be trialled for three months and adjustments made if necessary.
