Help appeal for a fair go for Kiwis living in Australia

Not many people are aware that New Zealanders living in Australia who arrived after 2002 are not entitled to the same benefits or pathways to citizenship that even boat people are granted.

New Zealanders are granted a Special Category Visa on arrival, which allows the ability to stay permanently, work and in general enjoy the life of a permanent resident.

However if those who arrived after 2002 apply for citizenship, even if they have been here the full 9 years, they will be denied that request because they do not hold a 'Permanent resident Visa'.

This situation flows onto even children born in Australia whose parents arrived after 2002... the children are not granted Australian citizenship and they are not entitled to any of the child care benefits awarded to every other resident of Australia. The bottom line is New Zealanders are being legally discriminated against under the Australian Immigration Act.

Many people have tried to get the Government to do fix this anomaly and the Government acknowledges it is unfair and needs to be addressed but nothing happens.

No one in Government is championing the cause that now effects 175,000 New Zealanders.

During the recent floods in Queensland, the insurance companies denied the claims submitted by Kiwis whose homes were damaged on the basis of a clause in the Insurance Policy that asks if the applicant is a permanent resident.

The Insurance companies are using the immigration status rather than the practical reality to avoid paying up.

If a New Zealander is disabled in a work related accident no government compensation is available, same for mental health or serious illness.

If a New zealander's child is born with a problem there is no help from the government.

Yet on the contrary those who arrive by boat illegally can acquire permanent status usually with 2 - 3 years and they are entitled to social welfare while they wait.

There is a lot of information about this issue available to read but the reason this is being published here is to simply request that you go to the following link and sign the petition to Julia Gillard and John Keyes asking for a commitment to resolving this unfairness.

Thank you for you help.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/fair-go-nz-citizens-in-oz/

Comments

I have a friend in this situation, been here working supporting his family, paying tax for 3 years, hurts his back so he cant work for a while, also contracts an eye problem in his one good eye, so far 6 months without being able to work and no monetary assistance from the government.....completely discriminated against compared with anyone else working here legally.

We have been living in Australia for 3 years, had applied for the 857 visa so as to get PR so we can be treated with equality. My partner lost his job after 2 .5 years, it is a case for unfair dismissal.the application for sponsorship for PR was withdrawn ( should have already been granted but was a backlog) we are faced with homelessness because without income you cant pay the rent and living in regional Australia there is little work. We have had to remove our kids from school ad head back to NZ to family, hurt and penniless. There is no Assistance available to us. This is soooooo unfair and unjust, we pay our taxes.

Well we have been living in Australia for 6 years from Chrishurch New Zealand my Daughter is 17 an can't get a youth allowence because she is not an Australian citizen an I'm not well at all an can't even get on the sickness bennifit, I wish we could just get some help over here from New Zealand, can't even go back home cause of the earth quakes please help us.thank you

i KNOW FOR A FACT the austrailian gov is now run by half germans and south africans DONT BELIVE ME LOOK IT UP COMPANYS THAT RUN THE SHOWS ...... as i took the time to look back at historys politics in austrailia i found many people werent even austrailians THIS IS TRUE THE BLOODLINE OF THE RACIST IS IN YOUR FACE wish yous all the best on exposing these foes...........ANZACS FOR LIFE...LEST WE FORGET WHAT DID OUR PEOPLE DIE FOR ....NOT THIS FUTURE.....

Does New Zealand give Australians monetary assistance in New Zealand ?

Yes they do, as soon as an Australian citizen makes a decision to , they are entitled to all benefits available, both countries had a mutual open policy many many years ago.....now it only works 1 way

Myself arrived on 26th nov 2006...i met my fiance (who is australian) in 2008. Since then we have a 2 yr old son & i am expecting another in october. My grand-father fought in ww2 as a gunner on the boats for the australian army as he was australian..I am disgusted that i must pay $3000 for partner sponsership..I am not entitled to centerlink & have been living on squat..I am even more pissed off that i am not allowed to access my superannuation money early to pay for permanant residency although they say that you can claim it under compassionate grounds? hard-ship...NOT BEING ENTITLED TO CENTERLINK IS HARDSHIP !!!!..i worked hard fot that money & now i have to let it waste away to fees each month because i cannot return to work ?? BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT

When australian citizen stays in new zealand
He or she can get resident of nz
But nz citizen cant get resident in australia
This is really unfair we work here pay tax here
Now our primary residence is australia
I think we should be treated fairly .

I suggest you research your entitlements before travelling here.
(Abuse edited out)
Your status is basically a guest worker with some privileges of living here such as medicare, buying a home etc. Always have savings for an emergency or take appropriate insurances. Imagine the burden on the state with another 280 000 nz'ers wanting something.

Us kiwi's that came here for a better life and to work for it should be entitled to help just like aussie's get in NZ!! We came here in 2009 and my hubby got sick 6 months later and we haven't been able to get any help from centrelink! My hubby had a job and all and we did not expect him to fall ill. They need to help more kiwi's out especially the ones that came here to a job but for unseen circumstances they lose their job. It's not fair that boat people are getting everything and we can get nothing!!!!!!!