Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee held a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop today.

New Zealand and Australia governments will “consider” domestic policies around citizens living in each country in the wake of proposed funding cuts in Australia that will mean subsidies for Kiwis living across the Tasman will be withdrawn from next year.

Today New Zealand Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee and his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop held a joint press conference.

“Official from both countries will “consider” both of the country’s domestic policies in relation to how it might affect our citizens living in those countries,” Mr Brownlee said.

The new foreign minister is in Australia just days after the latest trans-Tasman niggle.

A new policy announced in Canberra on Monday proposed funding cuts that will mean subsidies for Kiwis living in Australia will be withdrawn from next year – though Kiwis will still be able to apply for Australian student loans.
On Tuesday Prime Minister Bill English said the government were “pretty unhappy” over the announcement.

“We’ve got about 8,000 students in Australia and about 25 per cent of them won’t be affected by these changes at all,” Mr Brownlee said on Wednesday.

[TVNZ article].