KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Sandy Schwenkie
This man has already served his time in jail. The person that was stabbed is still alive. The man didn't stab anyone. We should all stop jumping to conclusion but think before we speak. Let's all think and see how many Samoans in NZ working in government departments, managers, CEOs etc. There's a lot out there. This man made a mistake he will learn from it let them stay in NZ and carry on with their lives. Everyone needs to move on with their lives and think about their own families if they are following the law or not, no one is perfect yes! He made a mistake, he didn't kill anyone so lets just be realistic and forgive him give him a break. He and his family have been through a lot. Put yourselves in his shoes, put your sons in his sons shoes. This father needs to be there for his son and his son needs his dad, so clean your hearts and lets al pray for the son and pray to God to forgive you all for judging people. Remember, only God can judge people so no one should judge anyone no matter what nationality we are all from. No matter what colour skin we have, we are all the same in front of Gods eyes. Leave the man and his family alone move on with your lives. Only God knows what's right and wrong. Let it go people.
Andrew of the West
You have to give up on this country. The majority of people would kick this guy out but there is this thing in NZ called the bleeding hearts. These are a minority and live mainly in sections of government and judiciary. They care for everyone no matter how bad you are. Everyone has a hard luck story so should be given multiple chances. Until this minority is dealt with, we will see more of this kind of rubbish. Kick him out and get rid of the bleeding hearts. It's so simple.
George
Send the father, mother, son and all of them back to where they belong. We already keep Samoa afloat through our bottomless pit of aid money for Pacific Island states. We don't need these people coming here to commit crime, rape our welfare and hospital systems. Thanks again Helen for further sending this country down the road.
John (Wellington)
I think the Government ("Labour" for now) needs to urgently examine who's making decisions at the "Deportation Review Tribunal". Next time this thug can't deal with conflict in an enlightened and civilized manner, like ordinary Kiwi folk, he won't be thinking about the consequences if he can go crying to the "Deportation Review Tribunal". As far as I'm concerned, they have blood on their hands next time he offends. Besides, who are they to overturn a judge's decision in a criminal proceeding? That, should be the exclusive territory of the Solicitor General, anything less is an insult to our criminal justice system. Why bother having judges at all when we have the "Deportation Review Tribunal"!
Michael Kingston
Send him back to where he comes from. He can practise crimes on his own country men. We don't need these kind of people in New Zealand. How much is looking after his kid (who will more than likely follow in his father foot steps) costing the tax payers of New Zealand?
ML
Totally agree with Harry Young. The Government is acting like a big brother in the Pacific, helping itself with heaps of uneducated/ruthless/benefit-dependent islanders to bring up the crime rates and feed them with tax payers' hard-earned money while making it harder and harder for the skilled potential migrants who would like to stay in NZ and contribute to the country they love and respect. Wonder how many of these Islanders are allowed in Aussie every year? Way to go politicians who spent weeks "debating" about the smacking bill.
Anthea
So what if they sent him and his nephew packing, I am pretty sure that the taxpayer has been paying for them all along. It's disgusting.
Aroha
He shouldn't have been let into the country in the first place, now look what's happened. Send him home, leave his son here. When he's all good, ship him off too.
S Olsen
He should get a one way ticket back to where he came from.
Natalie
Next we will see Tariana Tuira jumping up onto her soap box and harping on that we should probably talk to this guy and get his views on the situation. Do we always have to pander to minorities? This is getting boring.
Anna
I am getting sick to death of the crap that is allowed to happen in this country and the pathetic consequences. Send him home. He should have thought about his actions. Sad for his son, but quite frankly, who would want the man as his father anyway.
Incredible
I find it an outrage that somebody who had had a criminal record was allowed into NZ on humanitarian grounds. NZ is looked at as an easy option by Pacific Islands, Middle Eastern or African countries. We continually allow people into this country who would or have been rejected by others.
I was attacked at the end of the North Western motorway by a very stocky Pacific Islander man in his 20s after returning the fingers to him. (I am fat and in my 40s). When I stopped at the red lights, he jumped out of his car and rushed towards my door leaving me in no doubt what he intended to do. I got out of my van, as I didn't want to be hit through the window and was punched three times. Fortunately for me I could partially block most of the force of his punches, unfortunately for him I am very good at looking after my fat self. In 3-4 seconds he was a very sore, hurt and sad man, moving very quickly back to his vehicle saying his mates would get me. I reported to the police and gave a report. This is the only road attack I have experienced and it was very frightening.
Harry Young
Our beautiful, intelligent, cherished 16-year-old daughter was recently murdered by a Samoan man. He deliberately drove into scores of innocent teens. His group of thugs had started a fight 150m down the road and took off when they were losing. When we came from England, we had to prove we were qualified professionals, with jobs to go to in professions designated as short skilled and only after the employers had tried to recruit here first. We had to prove we were in good health and (believe it or not) that we spoke English to a high standard. We had to pay a $1500 "settlement fee" to be used to teach English to immigrants. I asked MP Clayton Cosgrove how an unskilled immigrant who needs an interpreter could be in NZ. He has refused to answer. We wrote to Helen Clark. Her fanatical support for the Samoan family who had the power cut off, contrasts with not even a card to us. Jane was an innocent victim. That family carried blame. Clark has offered the flimsiest excuse.
Kiwi people are great. The government are racists, going for the Pacific vote without regard to right and wrong. We will leave NZ after the trial. Helen can get some Samoans to replace us.
Ak
(1) Let the mother stay with the son to continue his treatment.
(2) Deport the father.
(3) Jail the nephew.
Vic (Auckland)
I think it is absolutely disgusting what this person did. He doesn't deserve anything from this country. I think the people of NZ have done enough to let this person and his family into the country in the first place and this is how we are re-paid, by him taking the law into his own hands and going about being as violent as he pleases. There should be no exemption for him, he should be deported.
Auckland
Too bad, he should of thought about what he was doing before he attacked an innocent person. Deal with the consequences, just like the poor guy that you and your nephew brutally stabbed. Fair enough his son needs the treatment here, but send the father home.
MC
I don't know who makes these rules about who should be allowed in, who stays here and who goes. Seems like these people wake up and decide, "Ummm today I feel good and let's say yes to all, no matter what the crimes>". On other days they decide, "Nah, screw the lot of them". It's interesting how we easily we let people into our country, people who bludge on hard working citizens - not to mention they don't even get a fair deal from the government.
Jo J
Whilst not condoning violent offences, this man has served his time, and apparently works hard to provide for his family. He lives to work, attend church and provide care for his family. His son is very sick by all accounts and sending the father away from his family will do nothing to aid anyone. NZ needs hard working people, the family needs a breadwinner, the son needs the support of his father and the public have the man's remorse and probably a good reason not to re-offend. Let him stay! He's a taxpayer after all!
NJM
I think it's a joke being allowed to stay. He is a violent person who stabbed someone and could've quite easily have killed them. Why aren't proper measures being taken to protect our community? Instead we are trying to help this offender and accepting the fact he brutally attacked someone and putting everyone else at risk in the process - innocent people. His history and our doubt should be enough to send him on his way!
Susie
Sad for his child but neither should be allowed to stay in NZ. That bad man and his family should never have been allowed into the country in the first place. Kiwis come first! Our scarce health resources should not be available for anybody else no exceptions.
Floppsie
As soon as he's done his time, he should be gone from NZ for good. He's a crim, a menace to socitey and a strain on the NZ tax payer. NZ do not want people like that in this country. The fact that he has a sick son is irrelevant. He shoudn't have been allowed here in the first place.
LV
What a joke. Send him and his family back to Samoa. We have enough violent thugs in this country as it is.
Why is it our immigration let people like him into NZ and let them stay after committing a violent crime, but make it very very difficult for qualified law abiding professionals from Europe to come to this country?
Rita
A couple more sayings to add to Tony's comments that I can think of is, "like a dog who returns to its vomit", or the biblical term, "throwing pearls before swine". I too don't get it, why is he allowed to stay? If the family are unable to survive without him than they should all be sent back to Samoa. Fix the boy up and send him home too.
Colin
It is time that people who make these decisions that impact on our society and safety are held accountable. Should this person re-offend, which is likely as a leopard does not change it's spots, then those in immigration who made the decision to allow him to stay should be dismissed from their positions. Just because they work for a government department should not give them protection. It is our society and safety, me and my family they are putting at risk.
Jimbo (Port Waikato)
Let me get this right. The judge has been lenient because fella didn't know his nephew had a knife but didn't he stop so his nephew could get a lump of wood? Send him back to Samoa and just add the rest of his family to the benefit system. I'm sure their 30 or 40 strong extended family in NZ can look after them till dad comes back to NZ with a new name and passport.
Rosina
Family violence is an accepted part of Pacific Island culture. It's acceptable at home and at school where caning is still used. The courage of the mother for dobbing in the Pacific Island minister who punched her 6-year-old son in the head highlights changing trends in the willingness to accept violence as a method of discipline. What the New Zealand Immigration Service needs to do is insist on compulsory courses for intending migrants which covers what is unacceptable in NZ society. Violence should be at the top of the list. This man has a history of violence and apparently hasn't learned his lesson. He should go home, its a privilege to live in Aotearoa - not a right.
Jim
Send him and his family back! We are getting too soft over here!
Al
Violent crimes such as this one cannot be tolerated. The decision to allow this Samoan to stay in New Zealand is outrageous. It sends the wrong signals out into the community. Yeh, road-rage and other violent crime is okay. Like hell it is. What about the victim of all this, the guy who was stabbed, what are his rights? "The goody goods in power" like the one(s)who declared that this thug could stay in New Zealand have gone soft in the head. What a ridiculous outcome. Boot this thug out now with a note you wont be allowed back in New Zealand!
Owen
New Zealand/ers are too soft.If you break the rule you should be sent home. When in Rome do as the Romans do.
Anna (Whangarei)
This family will probably be allowed to stay no matter what we think - but he should not be allowed a driver's licence - after all he only served half the prison time. The victim will have his injuries for life. They have a 20-year-old, (and the nephew involved in the attack), getting a great example of freedom from accountability. The 14-year-old deserves our best wishes for recovery and life of freedom from illness. Maybe he will see the responsibility his privilege brings.
Auckland
We might as well let him stay. New Zealand already has so many violent criminals walking free, one more will be a drop in the bucket.
Christi (Sydney)
Disgusting. What is the point of having laws that allow us to remove ratbags from overseas if we continue to give them 'warnings' and slaps on the wrist? Get tough with this behaviour, send a strong message that violence is not the way forward. Violence is a problem everyone knows exists within Pacific Island culture and although not exclusive to that culture it's about time we stopped condoning it with a softly softly approach. He's a criminal - get rid of him.
JR
Bet the courts didn't feel the son should have stayed with the father in prison. So what's changed? Perhaps like Paris Hilton, God's been found again - and God doesn't have a car so there's no chance of road rage with Him. Any logical thinking person would say that the boy should stay for treatment in NZ with the violent father as far away as possible. I suppose his next appearance in court will be when he assaults a doctor or nurse - because the son's recovery isn't up to his expectations!
Tuaman
Deport him and his nephew! Surely this child has other family. I know I can get the road rage sometimes, but to go and stab him four times? Here's a clear answer to our legal system and our prison system, put them all on a deserted island! Let them fight it out over there a long, long way from here. This is what they deserve. Clean out our prisons and repeat offenders and send them away. This sends out a hard meaningful message that we won't tolerate any kind of crap! Get hard people our country is too soft on criminals! Also people, this highlights road rage. Some people are arrogant on the road, beware who you cross! I have been cut off, overtaken by speedsters and watched many potential idiots on our road that don't care about there driving or what they could possibly do to someone else on the road. Beware if its me you cross. I won't stab you but I will make sure you remember that you have a driving problem. For sure! Deport him to an island with the other crims!
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