The new pathway will be available to eligible NZ citizens who have lived in Australia for more than four years.
Estimates put the number of kiwis living in Australia at around 700,000, of whom about 530,000 were born in New Zealand.
Speaking from Australia where he is currently on a trade mission, PM Chris Hipkins said, ‘This is the biggest improvement in the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia in a generation.’
Australian PM Anthony Albanese said it was, ‘a fair change for New Zealanders living in Australia, and brings their rights more in line with Australians living in New Zealand. We know that many New Zealanders are here on a Special Category Visa while raising families, working and building their lives in Australia. So I am proud to offer the benefits that citizenship provides.’
Australian media called the development a ‘major win’ for New Zealand which has spent years protesting about the Howard government’s decision in 2001 to establish a new ‘Special Category’ visa for New Zealanders in Australia.
‘That visa allows New Zealanders to stay in Australia but restricts their capacity to access to some government payments and obtain citizenship without first getting permanent residence through the migration program,’ according to the ABC.
The change has largely reversed the policy that had been in place since 2001 allowing all New Zealanders on the Special Category visa to apply for citizenship without becoming permanent residents first.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neil said the change would correct an injustice because, ‘our Kiwi cousins are our very best friends in the world, and they deserve the same respectful treatment Australians get when they live in New Zealand.’
Right I am off then, had enough of this dystopian apartheid sh1thole….
Tempted but the same fate will apply there. Can’t forget Dan Andrews.
When I think of Australia, the image of the Police strangling and lifting off the ground a woman for not wearing a mask outdoors. Other Police wrestling to the ground people for not wearing masks outdoors. The romantic vision of Australia has vanished and revealed a Federal Australian Police that are hostile to the population.
The not completely moronic Australian Government have just removed a major barrier for many New Zealanders who are contemplating the move. Watch the productive long suffering Kiwi stage left en masse!
1 : Don’t get mad Get even.
Stay and fight for your country, remember politicians not mandated for the poison shot, but they want you dead, so refer to number 1
Fat chance of getting even when politicians in NZ are hell bent on implementing the WEF agenda (at least in Aussie the citizenry is fighting back, political parties included) and running rough shod giving everything NZers hold dear to Maori. 3 waters is just a start, wait until He PuaPua is fully implemented. Not only, non Maori will become second but third class citizens.
Where do you start with all that is wrong with NZ: Racist health system, racist education system that teaches myths and fairly tales, shoddy policing and and judiciary that is govts henchman, low wage, extremely high cost of living, dilapidated infrastructure, 3rd world public transportation system, etc.
New migrants (particularly health sector) have to fill our myriads of forms which is a combo of English and Te Reo, is a major turn off.
Given the above, what tools have the common folk got to get even.? I see a huge problem for NZ in the next 5-10 years. Previously Kiwis would leave primarily for better wages, NOW there are so many other issues that will drive them away. And Australia will benefit, educated Kiwis arriving in Australia adding significantly to their economic progress.
Yeah New Zealand is racist alright, but not in the way Taika Waititi thinks…….nah it’s worse than that. If you have the misfortune of being born ‘white’ aka ‘pakeha’ (note the derogatory othering) then you get the bonus of PAYING via your taxes – if you are muggins enough to – shock – horror – WORK for your money, for services you have no access to.
Bravo Labour BRAVO – you bunch of grifting, racist, Marxist no hopers. You’ve wrecked New Zealand and anyone with half a F*king brain will get the F out of here asap. Oh but that’s what they want isn’t it? Just like Zimbabwe……then they can hand the country back to the ‘indigenous’ people aka those fortunate enough to have 1% of Maori ancestry.
As I look at my friends 2 boys, one with an English Dad and one with a Maori Dad, I am left wondering how absolutely F*ing ridiculous this whole situation is. If one boy gets sick he gets priority EVERYTHING, if HE wants to study he gets special concessions, special recognition, special rights, and his brother? The guy who grew up next to him in the SAME house with the SAME mum gets JACK SH!T.
Get out while you still can before they ban flying. I see Air Apartheid has made a good crack at stopping people from traveling with their plane groundings and cancellations and perpetual lost bags.
Stop your winging and do something for people other than your own selfish selves. Join up with a political party and make your voice heard and teach someone else to do the same. Change starts with one person, otherwise F..K off we dont want or need you in this country
There has been a brain drain going on in NZ since the 1950s. It used to be a bit of a joke – will the last one to leave please switch off the lights? Most of them left because they couldn’t stomach the violence, lack of culture, and the isolation. Many used Australia as a stepping stone to the rest of the world because it is much easier to go elsewhere in the world from Australia. I have flown many times to Australia in a full plane, and returned in one three quarters empty. Most of my family live in Sydney or Perth and it is patently obvious that they have all done much better than we who have been left behind in whatever this place is now called. Now penultimate daughter and three grandchildren are determined, after what was done to them during Covid, to leave NZ – asap. I too would advise anyone if they can go, go. Don’t look back. Get out before the big black gates to this island hell are slammed shut.
Everything in Australia wants to kill You
Including the Government