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Renewed claims of discrimination against Kiwis in Australia

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Do Kiwis in Australia face discrimination?

3News NZ

The petition says Kiwis in Australia are stripped of their rights (Reuters)

The petition says Kiwis in Australia are stripped of their rights (Reuters)

There are renewed claims that New Zealanders living in Australia are being discriminated against based on their nationality. 

The visa used to let Kiwis move across the Tasman comes with several fish hooks, including permanent exclusion from voting, becoming citizens, and getting some government benefits.

An online petition has already attracted almost 1500 signatures from New Zealanders who say they have had enough.

The petition says that recent natural disasters, including the Queensland floods, showed up the shocking inequalities when many New Zealanders were initially refused government assistance to get back on their feet.

They point out that Kiwis in Australia are stripped of their rights, while Australians who move to New Zealand only have to wait two years before they enjoy the full benefits of citizenship.

Kiwi youths ‘turn Generation Oz’

Young Kiwis are heading to Australia in droves because they can't get a job at home, says Labour finance spokesman David Parker.

A correlation between youth unemployment and migration figures in the year to June 2012 showed thousands of young Kiwis were leaving because of the failed job market, not the lure of the lucky country as claimed by National, he said.

"Every time a job is lost in New Zealand a boarding pass is printed at the airport. This is direct evidence that National is turning Generation Y into Generation OZ."

Figures from Statistics NZ showed 53,904 people departed permanently for Australia in the year to August 2012. Of those, 40 percent (21,733), were aged between 18 and 30. The number of unemployed aged 20-24 stood at 29,500 in the second quarter this year.

"This is the equivalent of the entire student body of a major university such as Victoria or Otago leaving the country in a single year.

"National keep making up excuses for the exodus. One day it's mining in Perth. The next it's the sun on the Gold Coast. But the truth is clear. It's the lack of jobs here."

He said National came to office promising they would stop Kiwis waving goodbye to their loved ones.

"Four years on they've failed to deliver and record numbers of Kiwis are fleeing in droves."

RadioLIVE/NZN

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Comments

21/01/2013 5:24:00 p.m.

Ross wrote:

I would love to know how many people who migrate to Oz on a Kiwi passport were not born in NZ. It would be very interesting. People of Pacific Islander Polynesian extraction recently clashed with gang violence against Australian Aboriginals in south Brisbane. Anyone know what I'm hinting at? Yes, that's right, ethnic tension which can be blamed (rightly or wrongly) on immigration from NZ coming to a head.

4/01/2013 1:02:21 p.m.

MMA wrote:

Kiwis coming to Australia are entitled to many government payments, benefits and services on arrival. It would appear many leave NZ without a proper understanding of those entitlements, and then once in the country try to demand them. On arrival they are entitled to Family Tax Benefits, Child Care Benefit, Medicare, attend Australian Schools, use roads, hospitals & medical services, use the Australian Criminal Justice System and jails. Perhaps it would be prudent to stop the SCV 444, and make NZ citizens apply for visas to move to Australia, and then only allowing skilled migrants to move to Australia. It is doubted if the Australian governmenthas any intention of making changes to accommodate those NZ citizens who believe they should be made permanent residents after 2 years. In fact, the current government hold the belief that should NZ citizens require assistance that they are not currently entitled to in Australia, they should return to their home country. I note many Kiwis feel that by demanding Centrelink Benefits,the right to Commonweath Government Positions and HECS HELP for university study, the Australian government will cave in and make changes. That will never be the case, as NZ citizens who arrived after 26/2/2001 failed to understand the SCV 444 on which they arrived. They can apply for PR & citizenship if they have the necessary requirements. I note many complain at the high cost. For those who don't fit the requirements, perhaps they should realise that they will never be able to become Australian citizens and are only here as temporary residents.

21/12/2012 11:28:58 a.m.

Raj wrote:

New zealanders should get residency after 2 year stay in australia as australians are getting in newzealand

15/11/2012 4:25:30 a.m.

Zenith wrote:

I'm not sure how accurate the reporting is. True there are some types of discrimination against NZ'ders but this depends on the type of services or benefits they are being denied. It is important that the reporting of the discrimination, if it exists, are properly documented so that we don't end up commenting an issue yet to be substantiated. Discrimination that NZ'ders face are happening across many other cultures living in Australia. Benefits provided to flood victims in Queensland are based on entitlements. However if the benefits are received by others without requiring entitlements, then there may be possible discrimination. I think it is important to document or research these issues carefully to ensure that we are not jumping ahead ourselves.

15/11/2012 4:22:24 a.m.

Zenith wrote:

I'm not sure how accurate the reporting is. True there are some types of discrimination against NZ'ders but this depends on the type of services or benefits they are being denied. It is important that the reporting of the discrimination, if it exists, are properly documented so that we don't end up commenting an issue yet to be substantiated. Discrimination that NZ'ders face are happening across many other cultures.

11/11/2012 12:25:45 p.m.

guruman wrote:

Kiwis are genuine workers in Aussie, but I'm surprise that other immigrants like a pom, only have to be here 2 yrs to receive the unemployment benefits, according to centre link which points to discrimination of kiwis. A current kiwi who has pd tax for last ten yrs to the Aussie govt should be entitled with a 2 year qualifying period like other immigrants, love Aussie but I don't like under arm bowling. ___ be fair __ the rules were brought in when unemployed came straight over and signed up Ub in Australia __ Ala bondi days

6/11/2012 12:05:15 p.m.

Glennyce Bismark wrote:

The petion has got more than 3500 , Now , They need your help to get more to sign

17/10/2012 9:12:59 p.m.

roland wrote:

If they were to stop all non born new zealanders from entering austraila the flow would slow down ..........

15/10/2012 5:40:12 p.m.

Brent wrote:

Australia has got enough problems over here as it is. I am a kiwi making a good living over here, you just have to look at why Aussies are not the same people 20 yrs ago, money talks over here, and with good reason, the asian people have invested billions and billions of dollars in this country, that is why there priority is looking after them. Forget Anzac, that is dead and burried, for some reason a lot of my fellow kiwis thought it was a right to citizenship over here. Just watch the news it gives you a insight on how things have changed, you see, asian, turkish, arab, italain and french news, why because Asutralia has become a multicultural place. The question is how much money does NZ invest in australia, very little. NZ I am afraid does not fit into Australia future, they have just got bigger, while poor old NZ has got much smaller in terns of economic growth. I can see in the furture the only people that australia will let in from NZ will be highly skilled workers, you hear chatter, if that happens watch out for all those kiwis over here on a visa who do not hold proper pernament residency!

13/10/2012 12:03:45 a.m.

Gosh wrote:

Very funny Peter, it more like Aussies face the naivety of Kiwis.