Denny pictured with his daughter, now 4-years-old who still lives in Australia. She gets flown to see him twice a year, courtesy of the Australian Government he said.

At the age of 40, self confessed mischief-maker Denny Te Amohanga couldn't remember how many times he had been sent to prison, let alone what his convictions were.

Born in New Zealand, he moved to Australia at the age of seven where he lived for the next 33 years - until he was deported back in 2012.

Three years on in his birth-place, he hasn't even thought about crime, he hasn't re-offended and he has no charges, "not even a traffic fine," he said.

supplied Denny Te Amohanga lived in Australia for 33 years before he was deported back to New Zealand. Three years on and with no support from the government, he has not re offended.

The final straw for Australian authorities who had him deported was a common assault charge in 2010 where he was sentenced to 13 months in prison.

After serving nine months of his sentence, he was sent to a detention centre and told he was being deported.

He appealed his deportation from detention for 10 months before he lost faith in the justice system and voluntarily signed papers agreeing to be deported.

"It is my own fault, but I tried to fight it because I grew up over there. I knew nothing of New Zealand… There was nothing for me here," he said.

Now, 44-year-old Te Amohanga lives in the King Country and works part-time doing the property maintenance for a real estate company.

When he first touched down on New Zealand soil, he was given $1,000 Aus and a one month stay at a holiday park in Otorohanga to get back onto his feet.

He had the option to stay with his family but he didn't know them well enough he said. "I didn't want to come back as an adult and then lump myself on them with my problems."

He got no support from Corrections, the Prisoner Aid and Rehabilitation Society or other government support groups because his prison sentence had finished, and he had no parole pending.

"They flew me straight into Wellington and the police pulled me into the station there and told me because I don't have a criminal record in New Zealand, it won't follow me from Australia. I'll have a clear record."

With a clean slate in a free country, Te Amohanga said he could either "stand up and keep walking or wallow in self pity and sadness."

After three months, he had a job at a timber mill and was able to get a house, slowly getting himself on his feet.

"I was lucky. The people at Te Kuiti WINZ were helpful. And friends and family, I was very lucky they were supportive."

"I would say that I've re-integrated back into the community okay. Like I said I still have my up and downs, I still have depression issues. I'm very lucky with the friends and family that I have now, that I do have that support," he said.

If he had government support throughout the reintegration process instead of being waved goodbye at the airport, he said he would definitely be in a much better place than he is now.

After three years, he still hasn't been sent his documentation or belongings from Australia, including his drivers licence which means he cannot drive in New Zealand which would be a "huge game changer."

He says he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has received no support to help him cope with it.

As a result of PTSD, he can't hold down full-time work because of his mental capacity he said. He gets depressed, angry and anxious and sometimes had a tendency to turn to alcohol, but has managed to "keep a lid on it since being home."

"It (PTSD) was caused by all the things that I witnessed and experienced in jail in Australia. In Australia I witnessed people being raped, killed, shamed, all of that."

Without the support of his immediate family, he said he has grappled with trying to come to terms with his losses - including only seeing his 4-year-old daughter twice a year.

His advice for the detainees on their way back to New Zealand under the tougher Australian stance against Kiwi offenders was to utilise the government services available to them.

"Keep your nose clean, we've got another opportunity and we're free and we're back in our own country and Australia can't do s*** about that. Stay on the right track and surround yourself with good people otherwise bad things will happen," he said.

If he made a better life for himself, he said they can do it too.