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 !

Sorry o sung wu that relationship fell into a hole when they effectively withdrew from the ANZUS treaty by the grand gesture of banning nuclear powered or armed ships from their waters.

They also played games by letting in people they knew were bound for OZ by the NZ back door.

They elected politicians we could not trust, so we had to take action. It really is a pity.

Even if there was a time in the late 90's that justified a change in policy, it isn't fair to be punishing Kiwis now, who have lived here for 5, 7, 10, or 13 years and proven themselves worthy members of society. Most of the people in detention camps eventually get residency, yet Kiwis are permanently stuck in limbo.

A fair policy would allow recognition and permanent residency status for those who are hard working tax payers after X number of years.

Most Aussies don't know about this and about 8/10 don't care after they know. Literally no one of importance is standing up for the Kiwis. The media isn't interested either.

Hassy, I hope you are not referring to David Lange and Robert 'Piggy' Muldoon, although politically polls apart they were both personal friends of my partner "T" with Mr Lange attending her wedding to her late husband of 40 years.

Thanks HASBEEN and CONSERVATIVE HIPPIE...

Oh well, trust a group of misguided politicians to bugger things up once again ? It's a real pity that we couldn't at least try to overcome this minor impasse ? NZ re-entering ANZUS (it's really for their own benefit too?) by strengthening the combined alliance, and tightening up on those who wish to ultimately use Kiwiland as a springboard into Oz ? Again, it would benefit both nations, by regulating and monitoring those who wish to (initially) transit or enter NZ, en route to Australia ? I would've thought everybody wins ?

o sung wu,

Would you want to get involved in mires like this,

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11362274

and this,

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9675650/Address-Maori-male-violence-says-MP

just to take a couple of examples?

Some who now say federation is Ok could turn around to be activists for the opposite. Remember the Ireland and Scotland examples?

It would be impossible for a federal government to manage NZ from Australia. The Kiwis would want all care and no responsibility, just give us more money, and the federal government would be saying you've had your share.

Imagine the indigenous Maoris making larger claims from an assumed larger bucket? They would want parity with Aborigines wouldn't they?

What a mess, and perfect opportunities for the victim industries to renew and maximise their takes from the Taxpayers. Good god, think of the lawyers lining up to stir the pot with even larger, more exotic limos in mind.

o sung wo,

Sorry I may have mixed you up with others proposing federation of NZ and Oz.

On the back door immigration, yes that has been a problem for a long time.

The Americans kicked NZ out of ANZUS over the nuclear issue. The Australian government just went along with it, "our hands are tied".

and the Yanks pressured Australia to take action against NZ. Our shame not there's.

G'day there ONTHEBEACH...Once the lawyers get their grubby little fingers into anything, then we're all stuffed ! Our learned lawyer colleagues have the knack of being able to profit from the misery of others, and still sleep like a baby at night ?

Another shortcoming with the legal profession that I can see, only they have the professional capacity to take a relatively small problem, and later on, create an even bigger version of that problem. In order for them to achieve something as portentous as this, these learned silks must first, exercise the highest degree of gross incompetency and ineptitude, that one may ever hope to witness in their lifetime.!

And still we have these geriatric old justices, who continue to occupy the Bench for life, who will loudly pontificate endlessly, in order to extol the professionalism of their esteemed junior colleagues, for their intractable incompetence ! And for the life of me, I simply don't understand why !