PM welcomes new Australian citizenship pathway
A press release from the New Zealand National Party
19 February 2016
Prime Minister John Key today welcomed Prime Minister Turnbull's announcement opening the way for more New Zealanders to gain citizenship in Australia.
At the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders' meeting in Sydney, Mr Turnbull announced that New Zealanders who arrived in Australia between 26 February 2001 and 19 February 2016 will be eligible for permanent residence, then citizenship, if they meet certain criteria.
This is a positive step towards recognising the significant contribution New Zealanders living in Australia make to Australian society,” Mr Key says.
It means more Kiwis who have made their lives in Australia will be able to enjoy the same rights and entitlements as other Australians.
While not all New Zealanders will meet the requirements, this announcement will help to address some of the challenges facing New Zealanders who arrived in Australia after 2001 without a clear pathway to citizenship.”
The new pathway to citizenship is expected to be implemented from 1 July 2017.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Key also raised the issue of deportees, which is an ongoing area of concern for New Zealanders, and stressed the importance of continuing to streamline information sharing and other processes.
I want to thank Mr Turnbull for the personal interest he has taken in these issues and look forward to having ongoing discussions about issues affecting New Zealanders in Australia.”
The Prime Ministers confirmed their commitment to defence and security cooperation, including through the joint Australia-New Zealand Building Partner Capacity mission in Iraq.
They also agreed to look at ways they can work more closely in the area of science and innovation. “Boosting science and innovation is critical to driving productivity, creating more and higher paying jobs, and building strong and sustained economic growth,” says Mr Key.