Government review of New Zealanders' rights in Australia
01 November 2022
Oz Kiwi is aware that some people are concerned about the progress of the current review of New Zealanders rights in Australia.
The recent Australian Federal Budget announcement of funding to prioritise processing the New Zealand stream 189 visa is not the end of the road.
Policy reform takes time, you can't simply change a visa overnight. The review will identify what needs to change, and why, plus the best way to make those changes.
Both New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are on the same page.
Review process
The commitment to clearing the NZ 189 Visa backlog is only the first announcement. More announcements are expected byANZAC Day 2023 regarding changes to the pathway to citizenship.
The visa reform details are still being worked through, and that's why Oz Kiwi is going to Canberra next week for meetings with the key Ministers.
Q & A with Clare O'Neil
Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil's Q & A video with Oz Kiwi Chair Joanne Cox makes it very clear the ALP want to help Kiwis get citizenship.
Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O'Neil
Have you applied for the NZ 189 visa?
Check your supporting documents, including your passport, are up-to-date.
Australian Labor support for Kiwis in Australia
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has long supported Oz Kiwi's aims for a fair pathway to citizenship for Kiwis living in Australia. The Oz Kiwi team has worked with Minister of Home Affairs Clare O'Neil, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles, and the Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers since 2015.
The ALP has advocated for Kiwis in Australia many times in recent years:
- In 2015 Jim Chalmers spoke in Parliament to give Kiwis access to student loans
- In 2015 Clare O'Neil gave an amazing speech in Parliament for a fairer deal for Kiwis in Australia
- In 2015 ALP Shadow Education Minister Senator Kim Carr's amendment that gave Kiwis access to student loans
- In 2017 and 2018 they worked to prevent the Citizenship Amendment Bill that would require all permanent residents to reside as PR for four years before being eligible to apply for citizenship
- Since July 2015 the ALP national policy platform includes a policy for a fair pathway to citizenship for Kiwis
- In 2020 advocated for Kiwis to get the JobSeeker wage subsidy during COVID-19 lockdowns
The ALP recognises the importance of the Trans-Tasman relationship and the positive contribution New Zealanders who live and work in Australia make. More has happened in the last six months than in the previous ten years under the Liberal/National Coalition government.