The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > General Discussion > Immigration Discrimination Againt New Zealanders

Immigration Discrimination Againt New Zealanders

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. All
Approximately 175,000 New Zealanders who arrived in Australia after February 2002 including several thousand who live on the Sunshine Coast are in immigration limbo.

The only way a Kiwi can get citizenship is by first being a permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Visa. New Zealanders are not required to hold a permanent resident visa to live in Australia permanently so upon arrival they receive a Special Category Visa which grants them the right to stay permanently, work, send the kids to school etc. But after awhile if the kiwi wants to vote or be eligible for any kind of pension or other benefit they need to become citizens. When they apply for citizenship the first question on the form is Date of Permanent Residency... but that means when did you acquire a Permanent Residency Visa which they haven't because there is no need for one and thus the Catch 22... they are not eligible. Even children of New Zealanders that are born in Australia are not automatically citizens.

Kiwis in this predicament are offered the option to apply for Permanent Residency like anyone from any other country which means meeting the requirements under the points system. The points system requires applicants to achieve 110 points on a scale that awards points for education, profession, age and finances. Anyone over 45 is almost immediately eliminated; those without university education in a desired profession (IT or doctor) will not achieve enough points to qualify.

The bottom line is the average kiwi family that moves across the ditch and settles, whether they are self employed or working for a company doesn't meet the points criteria for a Permanent Residency Visa. They pay the same taxes, they might employ others, but they are not entitled to the same rights as other permanent residents. This remains the fact even if they have been in Australia 3, 5, 7, 9 years etc. Children born to NZ parents are also not entitled to Australian citizenship. The current system is discriminatory and the government knows it but no one in Govenrment has the will to fix it.
Posted by sbr108, Saturday, 14 May 2011 7:49:44 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Reply to a letter from Senator Chris Evans, in which Senator Evans acknowledges the anomaly and suggests the Government will address the issue (that was 2 years ago)

I am very pleased to learn of your concern for the large number of New Zealanders permanently residing in Australia who have no pathway to Australian citizenship.

The reason for this is, of course, quite plain. If one is to introduce laws that discriminate between citizens and permanently resident non-citizens – such as the denial of the right to social security, for example – then it is a necessary prerequisite to also remove the right to citizenship in order to give effect to the discrimination. Otherwise, New Zealanders could avoid the discrimination by simply swearing their allegiance to Australia.
However, I am none-too-pleased to again find you stating that long-term residents of New Zealand nationality have never been officially considered permanent residents:
“Until 26 February 2001, New Zealand citizens who travelled to Australia under the Trans Tasman Travel Agreement (TTTA) were regarded as permanent residents for the purposes of an application for conferral of Australian citizenship. However they have never been considered permanent residents under the Migration Act 1958.”

This is simply factually incorrect.

Prior to the 1st of September 1994, New Zealand citizens such as me were considered ‘exempt non-citizens’, and, as such, we fell under the definition of ‘Australian permanent resident’ in the Migration Act 1958 along with other British Commonwealth nationals who were lawfully resident in Australia without a visa.

Personally, I find it deeply offensive to be now referred to as a ‘temporary resident’ when I am still authorised to reside permanently in Australia so long as I retain my New Zealand nationality. This, ostensibly, puts me in the same position as an Australian national, as Australians are also only authorised to reside permanently in Australia so long as they retain their Australian nationality. Does this mean that Australians are also temporary residents in their own country, and therefore should also be denied the right to social security?
Posted by sbr108, Sunday, 15 May 2011 11:44:50 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
There is an online petition to Julia Gillard and Prime Minister of NZ, John Keyes. Kiwis should visit this site, read the petition and sign it.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/fair-go-nz-citizens-in-oz/
Posted by sbr108, Sunday, 15 May 2011 11:50:30 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
This discrimination can be corrected by giving every arrival the same status as Kiwis.

Entry to the Australian continent should be made easier and fairer by not coupling it with entry into Australian society. The criteria for the former should be eased while the criteria for the later should be tightened.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Sunday, 15 May 2011 12:15:52 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Being totally surprised by this, not having known about it I have an idea.
Grab, now I am being fair dinkum, 100 Kiwis.
Get a boat.
Dec it out with signs telling your story.
Sail it to Christmas Island.
Watch the cringe factor fix your problems.
Too hard?
Get smaller boats in every Australian port, on the same day, tell the Medea, make sure you get air time.
If that does not work?
I dare not say, yet but to use an Aussie term not heard now strike me how *&^% stupid.
Posted by Belly, Sunday, 15 May 2011 12:33:13 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
What is the situation with Australians moving to New Zealand? Does the same set-up work there?
Posted by Cossomby, Monday, 16 May 2011 9:07:38 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy