A father of three is about to become the first New Zealander to return to Australia after winning his visa back.
Adam Taylor was jailed for unlawful wounding and chose to be deported to Auckland rather than face being held on Christmas Island.
He appealed and has won his case, and will tomorrow return to Australia, which he calls home.
Mr Taylor moved to Australia with his family when he was eight-years-old. He has a life in Australia, a partner and three children.
The 24-year-old told Checkpoint Australian officials had ruined his life.
"I have nothing to go back to except for my children. I don't have a house anymore, I don't have a job - I only have the clothes in my bag.
"I could have stayed there and had everything I had, but because they've sent me back here I have to go back and start my whole life from scratch."
He lived in a backpackers when he returned to New Zealand, then travelled throughout the country with a new job he got.
However, it was easy for other detainees who've been returned to New Zealand to go back to crime.
"If you've got nothing to come back to, unless you're a strong person, you're never going to make it. You're going to turn back to your old ways.
"I've seen other people go straight down. One of them had nothing at all...I don't know where he is."
While he had a long road ahead of him, and didn't expect life to be easy, he said he now knew he could do anything.
