Direct access to Australian citizenship for New Zealanders is a good thing

Apr 27, 2023
Australian Citizenship Certificate.

The Albanese government decision to restore direct access to Australian citizenship for New Zealanders living here is a good thing. It defuses a social time bomb and removes an irritant in Australia-New Zealand relations.

Prior to 2001, any New Zealand citizen resident Australia was regarded as a permanent resident for the purposes of qualifying for Australian citizenship, without meeting normal, globally applicable, immigration requirements. Similar arrangements existed for Australians resident in New Zealand.

In 2001, negotiation of a reciprocal Social Security Agreement between Australia and New Zealand by the Howard Coalition government dramatically changed the situation for New Zealanders.

In considering the financial aspects of the deal, the Australian government concluded that there would be big gains for the Commonwealth budget by taking away access to Australian social security benefits for New Zealanders. This was done by giving New Zealanders continuing free access to Australia and its labour market with a temporary visa, but cutting off eligibility for most social security benefits and Australian Citizenship unless they qualified to become permanent residents by meeting the same requirements as all other migrants from around the globe. Children born in Australia to New Zealand citizens would have to wait 10 years before they could become Australian citizens.

Those changes set up a unique situation in Australia – a large, long-term population of people with only temporary status with no chance of ever becoming Australian citizens. Their children would be excluded from Australian citizenship for a decade. It also set the fuse for a potential time bomb of a growing group of disadvantaged people who would never have access to key social security benefits and would be excluded from jobs requiring Australian citizenship.

These risks were downplayed at the time in view of the budgetary benefits. Many familiar with New Zealand communities in Australia say that these social problems have emerged as they inevitably would. There are some 600,000 New Zealanders living in Australia.

The changes announced by the Albanese government will pretty much restore the situation to what it was in 2001. New Zealanders entering and living in Australia will again be regarded as permanent residents for the purposes of qualifying for Australian citizenship without meeting globally applicable immigration requirements. Their children born in Australia will again become Australian citizens at the time of birth. The changes will take effect from 1 July 2023. There is also some beneficial backdating in the package.

These changes will give back more substance to the special relationship between Australia and New Zealand rather than the usual platitudes we hear on Anzac Day. These platitudes have not always been matched by the realities of Australian policies. Earlier announcements by the Australian government that it will take a more measured approach to removal of New Zealand citizens who have resided in Australia for a very long time, but have been convicted of crimes, will also benefit the Australia New-Zealand relationship.

When Australia introduced restrictive policies in 2001, New Zealand did not reciprocate. Australians in New Zealand continue to benefit from direct access to New Zealand citizenship.

It would be very wise for New Zealanders in Australia to consider taking up the Australian citizenship option if they plan a long-term stay (they would retain their New Zealand citizenship under New Zealand law and become dual nationals). Pre-2001, because of the generally easy immigration relationship between the two countries, New Zealanders coming to Australia seemed not to have regarded themselves as long-term stayers and had a relatively low rate of take up of Australian citizenship.

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