Australian and New Zealand Government: Addressing the issues caused to NZ citizens who live permanently in Australia.

For almost 13 years the Australian and New Zealand Governments have completely ignored serious complaints and catastrophic issues caused by amendments made to the Australian Social Security Act 2001 and the Migration Act 2001 which sought to specifically exclude only NZ citizens indefinitely.

In contrast, NZ laws still recognise mutual agreements and treat Australian permanent residents with the dignity, respect, fairness and equality. Yet New Zealand citizens living in Australia are not treated similarly. Rather, their contribution and integration into Australian society is seen as a privilege rather than a mutual legitimate right bestowed upon either citizens through years of reciprocal agreements including Bilateral agreements, Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (CER) and Trans Tasman Travel arrangements (TTTA).

New Zealand citizens who largely arrived after February 26, 2001 or who were not here for a minimum of 12 months in the February 1999 - February 2001 transition period are completely excluded from fair and equal treatment, indefinitely. There is little to no sympathy for individuals and families who find themselves trapped between a rock and a hard place, usually through no fault of their own.

Thousands of New Zealand citizens and their children are dealing with dire consequences in a system that refuses to understand the complexities these laws have caused. Irreversible damage is being revealed on a daily basis to individuals, families and their children. These affects must be addressed and rectified before greater signs of poverty, underclass and disparities increase simply because they do not meet a criteria which seems completely unreasonable and illogic.

NZ citizens are unable to access the same civic privileges bestowed to all other permanent residents working and residing in Australia simply because they are considered non-protected. There are to date no reasonable nor justifiable reasons as to why these laws have been enforced ever since they were first introduced.

The other serious issue to note is this information has until very recently been mostly hidden by our two governments who have been unwilling to acknowledge the blatant discrimination faced by New Zealanders. No one could have imagined that such draconian laws could exist in this day and age, let alone be present in two countries who are rich with history, camaraderie, connectedness and deeply intertwined. Therefore, unsuspecting people have been unable to make fully informed decisions based on the shear assumption that there would be some fair and reasonable pathway along the line.

Examples of ways in which people are affected include (but are not restricted to): 
1. NZ citizens are excluded from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) despite contributing through increased mandatory levy payments. 
2. Single parents and their children are unable to access most forms of support including emergency housing, refuge shelter support, even several food banks. Single parents can also be entrapped from returning to NZ under the Hague Convention. This creates situations of immense poverty and incredible psychological and emotional trauma suffered by an entire family. 
3. People diagnosed with serious illnesses are unable to access any financial assistance whatsoever. 
4. Student loans and allowances are not accessible to NZ citizens. 
5. Unable to vote regardless of time spent living in Australia, therefore completely disenfranchised.

Please sign our petition to help raise awareness and share our plight.

Kind regards, 
Erina Anderson, 

Iwi n Aus