Since February 2001 the immigration regulations changed for New Zealanders. Although Kiwis who arrived after 2001 can live and work here permanently they are not automatically entitled to permanent residency status unless they are rich, under 50, and/or fit into particular professional categories.

Kiwis have no special status, have no special avenue to citizenship and are not allowed to vote. Kiwis enter the country on a Special Category Visa which effectively makes them permanently a Temporary Visitor. Each time a Kiwi living in Australia travels overseas, they are issued a new visa on their return.

Kiwis (post 2001) are not entitled to any welfare benefits though if they can prove they moved here rather than just being on a visit, they can receive Medicare. Kiwi children borne in Australia since 2001 are not entitled to citizenship if their parents arrived after 2001. Disadvantage children borne in Australia to Kiwi parents are not entitled to any help even though their parents pay equal taxes including the new National Disability levy.

Contrary to the ill-informed (some might even say racist) beliefs expressed by many who fear Kiwi immigration, the majority of Kiwis are hard working tax payers that integrate into Australian culture seamlessly.

Whilst NZ pensioners cannot even collect their NZ pension in Australia without being means tested, (meaning they cannot receive the benefit they are entitled to from NZ), Aussies crossing the ditch to live in NZ are entitled to all welfare benefits from day one and are eligible for Permanent Residency and afterward are able to vote as permanent residents.

Contravening the UN Human Rights and anti-discrimination conventions, even after 10 - 13 years living in Australia, tax paying home owners, hard working and reliable, proven to be contributing to their communities and society - Kiwi families are still denied the right to vote and the security of knowing they cannot be removed from the country on the whim of the next anti-immigration legislation.

So much for the ANZAC Spirit.

ConservativeHippie, I agree, my partner is a Kiwi (Maori) and has been here since 2006. She is over 65 and still working full time, has worked since 2 weeks after arriving, found 2 jobs straight away, no sweat. Gets up at 4am, five days a week to go to work. I should sponsor her for Australian citizenship. It would actually benefit us if I gave up my part time work sold our home in Sydney took all our supa and savings and migrated to Aotearoha, east coast North Island or back to where "T" comes from around The Bay of Islands, wouldn't be lonely, plenty of whanau over there. We could buy a house there and still have a million or more kiwi dollars left over.

The following link may be of interest:

http://theconversation.com/tougher-policy-needed-for-new-zealanders-wanting-to-work-in-australia-12007

Thanks Foxy, your link sums up the situation pretty well. There are also humanitarian and fairness issues the Government/s are turning a blind eye too.

In European countries where working immigrants have no pathway to citizenship or access the benefits other residents enjoy, their taxes are reduced. Kiwis living in Australia are effectively subsiding the social benefits of other Australians since they are paying a disproportionate amount of tax compared to other residents entitled to social benefits including education grants for their children.

I have written to Rudd, Gillard, Bowen, Plibersek, Burke, Abbott, Hockey, Truss, and Scott Morrison over the years. On this subject I can guarantee you there is bi-partisan agreement to do nothing for the Kiwis that arrived after 2001, regardless of how long they have been here, how much tax they pay, how many Aussie borne children they have.

Howard created this mess, Labour had no desire to rectify it, and now the Coalition claims Kiwis are so well off here, there is no need to change anything.

My daughter has spent most of her life in Australia, has virtually nothing to identify with in NZ, yet isn't entitled and never will be able to vote, travel on an Aussie passport or even call Australia home. Its the young people I feel deserve better.

I would have no objections to Australia and NZ becoming one country. Before federation it was a possibility, and in colonial times NZ was administered from NSW. We recently celebrated 200 years(1814) of Maori friendship with Australia. It was only a few weeks back the Sydney Maori community arranged a festival at Parramatta, celebrating this and the great work of the Reverend Samuel Marsden for the Maori people, well over 1,000 people attended, with a large number coming from NZ for the occasion.

Hi there CONSERVATIVE HIPPIE...What an absurd situation you've alerted us all (me at least) too ! Kiwi's have always been joined at the hip with us Aussies in every conflict, in which we've been involved, and this is how we repay their close loyalty to us ? It was always my understanding there was a free pass for both our nations, a two way street as it were, and as it bloody well should be ! What political midget decided upon this situation ? God help us !

I do recognise there became a need to introduce a passport situation, not to regulate access for the bona fide Kiwi, but to prevent the bad guys from entering Oz, via NZ. It was on at least one occasion in Vietnam, where the KIWI 'drop shorts' pretty well saved the back sides of an Aussie platoon, who were tackling a superior force of NVA (at least company strength) ? Is there nothing sacred any more ? I shall not engage in some vocal tirade, of who we do give unfettered access to the joint, other than to say our Kiwi brothers and sisters should have automatic 'right of passage' any time they chose !