Two New Zealanders deported after serving sentences in Australia have moved to the South in recent weeks and more are likely to arrive soon.
Prisoners' Aid and Rehabilitation Society (Pars) Otago manager Colin Hall said one deportee arrived in Dunedin this week and another had arrived in Invercargill a ''few'' weeks ago.
Mr Hall did not know much else about the offenders, including what crimes they had committed in Australia, as Prisoners' Aid and Rehabilitation had not been tasked with assisting them.
He did not believe the two were among detainees who had come from Christmas Island and instead they were likely to have flown straight to New Zealand after finishing their sentences.
He expected more deportees would be coming to the South and Pars had been told it would have a role in helping them.
''I have a sneaking suspicion that we could get one, two or three more. I have a feeling there could be a fair heap coming back to the country in general.''
He did not have a problem with Pars supporting the deportees, which would help reduce the risks of them reoffending.
''They need to be supported and we are here to support them.''
The return of deportees to New Zealand comes after a law change was made in Australia last December to deport more non-Australians who served time or were judged to fail a character test.
Department of Corrections deputy national commissioner Rachel Leota said it would not comment on the management of individual offenders who had returned from Australia, for reasons of privacy and to aid their reintegration.
She did comment on the measures the department was taking to try to reduce reoffending, which included a recently signed information-sharing agreement with Australia.
This allowed the department to assess whether returning offenders met the threshold for an extended supervision order or a public protection order.
''If they do, Corrections will make an application to the High Court for a judge to decide whether to impose an order.''
When returning offenders arrived in the country, it undertook an induction and instructed offenders to report to probation, arranged accommodation if needed and made sure the offenders were safely transported to their accommodation.
''Corrections will continue to monitor these offenders and respond to the risks identified.''
