Australia rolls out the welcome mat for NZ workers
News that citizenship will become easier for Kiwis in Australia has been greeted with jubilation – and more than a little apprehension.
Mōrena and welcome to The Bulletin for Monday, April 24, by Catherine McGregor. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.
In today’s edition: Kiri Allan defends handling of Meng Foon donations; Toby Manhire reviews Chris Hipkins’ orgy of reprioritisation; behind the rift that has Gore councillors calling for an independent review. But first, a historic day for New Zealanders in Australia, and a worrying one for employers back home.
An Anzac Day parade in Sydney, 2005. (Photo: Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
A huge moment for New Zealanders who call Australia home
From this side of the Tasman, it can sometimes be hard to see why citizenship is so important to New Zealanders living in Australia. After all, they can still live and work across the ditch for the rest of their lives, all while accessing public healthcare and education. Dig a little deeper and the disadvantages become clear: New Zealanders without citizenship can’t vote in elections, and can’t access the National Disability Insurance Scheme, nor social security benefits, nor, often, student loans. As Oz Kiwi Association chair Joanne Cox puts it, “Everything's fine until it goes bad, and then it's too late.” While citizenship was available to Kiwis, it’s historically been a long, complicated and extremely expensive process. But now Australia is introducing a streamlined path to citizenship for New Zealanders, who will become eligible after just four years in the country. It’s life-changing news for the 670,000 Kiwis in Australia, and especially for the large contingent who’ve already achieved the residency requirement and can apply for citizenship from July 1, when the new rules come into effect.
In the midst of a skills shortage, ‘a frisson of unease’
On this side of the Tasman, the news was greeted with celebration – and some alarm. New Zealand is already contending with competition from Australia’s higher wages, and now the promise of citizenship is making the Lucky Country look more appealing than ever. While prime minister Chris Hipkins says he’s “absolutely confident” that most New Zealanders back home “want to continue to stay with the home of the All Blacks, the true home of the pavlova and the lamington”, others warn it could spell bad news for the NZ economy. Writes Tracy Watkins in Stuff, “while there was plenty of talk of mateship and the Anzac spirit over the announcement, there should be more than a frisson of unease in New Zealand at the timing of a deal that could hollow out an already severely stretched workforce.” It’s particularly concerning for healthcare, which is losing thousands of workers to Australia. “I’m very, very worried. I’m glad for the people in Australia, but the government in this country needs to step up to the plate,” Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels tells the Herald. Meanwhile those who’ve already made the move say it confirms their original decision to go. "My only regret is that we couldn't have all this back home, that all Kiwis can't experience what we have here,” says Sarah Arnold, now living in Perth. The question inherent in her comment – Why not? – is now even more pressing.
Albanese to the rescue
Saturday’s announcement is also good news for those affected by the 501 deportation policy, which has a disproportionate and often brutal impact on New Zealanders in Australia. With citizenship, they’ll no longer be at risk of deportation – a fact not lost on that country’s conservative press. “Kiwi crims’ free pass” blared the Daily Telegraph’s front page on Friday, highlighting the big drop in deportations since the rules were changed last year to factor in how long somebody had lived in Australia and their connections to the country. That change and this new one were spearheaded by prime minister Anthony Albanese, who has a far greater affinity with our own Labour-led government than his predecessors. He’s also continuing to ride high in the polls. “Making a concession on Australia’s strict border and immigration policy was previously unimaginable, and he may be the only leader in a long time to have had the political capital to do so,” observes the Herald.
All for one low, low price
The new citizenship pathway isn’t just quicker than before – it’s also a lot cheaper. The application fee will be just A$490 (NZ$534), compared to a total of over A$4000 right now. Another instructive comparison is the cost of getting citizenship in the UK, which has risen exponentially since I did it myself back in 2006. For those, like me, who arrived on a UK Ancestry Visa, it now costs £2,404 (NZ$4868) to apply for permanent resident status – which to be fair, isn’t an issue for New Zealanders moving to Australia – and another £1,330 (NZ$2694) to apply for citizenship. A total of $7562, not counting the cost of the original visa. The cost of applying for citizenship in New Zealand is $470.20.
The Fold: Dr. Paul Spoonley on the NZ population and the media
New Zealand’s most famous demographer, professor Paul Spoonley, joins Duncan Greive on The Fold this week, to talk about the incredible changes to New Zealand’s population makeup over the past 20 years.
Spoonley also delves into a new study from The Fold sponsor oOh!media which looks at post-Covid changes to mobility, hyper-ageing and the ethnic makeup of the country, and unpacks these seismic yet poorly understood trends, explaining how all of this affects the media.
Listen to The Fold now, wherever you get your podcasts.
‘There’s been no breach’: Allan responds to donation allegations
Cabinet minister Kiri Allan has defended herself against allegations of impropriety over donations from race relations commissioner Meng Foon. Talking to Jack Tame on Q&A, she said she wasn’t required to declare a conflict of interest when she became justice minister, a role that involves appointing the race relations commissioner. “There’s been no breach… It’s been all open and above board and I haven’t made any decisions in respect to that particular donor." She said she’d forgotten that Foon had made such a hefty donation, the largest of her 2020 campaign. "I genuinely, hand over heart, swear on my child, I don’t remember all the people that donate. That’s just how these things work," Allan said.
Purged, punted and pruned: the Chris Hipkins reprioritisation in full
Since taking office three months ago Chris Hipkins has been busy “reprioritising” Labour’s plans – but which ones have had a mere trim, and which have been unceremoniously executed? If you can’t keep Labour’s latest policy alterations straight, you’re not alone. That’s why The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire has created a guide to 14 recent changes to government policies, from the fully purged to the gently pruned, plus everything that’s being punted into next term. Get up to speed now – there’s sure to be even more policy tweaks coming in next month’s budget.
A message from Duncan Greive, senior writer, podcast host and founder of The Spinoff.
I founded The Spinoff to fill a hole in our media landscape – to create smart, original writing and content that looks at this country from a different angle. The only reason it exists today is because our members believe in us, and are willing to donate to keep our content free for all. Join us in making a difference to the local media landscape by becoming a member or making a new donation today.
The political rift ‘tearing a town apart’
Last week Gore councillors voted unanimously for an independent review of governance – specifically the way their council has been run by 23-year-old mayor Ben Bell and veteran chief executive Stephen Parry – while also appointing an intermediary between the two men. The NZ Herald’s Kurt Bayer digs into the relationship between the two, which began when Bell won the mayoralty by just eight votes and then quickly devolved amid allegations of overspending, high-handedness and dirty politics. “Trust has… eroded significantly,” Parry says. That appears to be something of an understatement.
Click and collect
Secondary teachers plan to continue industrial action once students go back next week, starting with a ban on staff attending out-of-hours meetings and progressing to rostered home learning and then rolling strikes.
Scientists have identified a staggering 26 new worm species in Porirua Harbour – specifically in Pāuatahanui Inlet, a branch of the harbour – over a five-year research period.
Software developer and urban housing activist Oscar Sims has been selected as Labour candidate for Auckland Central. He will take on incumbent Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick in this year’s election.
Auckland Transport spent almost $20,000 on taxis to ferry around 1000 Harry Styles fans to Mt Smart Stadium, after a lack of public transport and higher than expected demand for extra buses left concertgoers stranded at a pick-up point.
Christchurch’s water supply is potentially non-compliant with new drinking water rules. The council says the issues are technical and the risk to residents is no greater than under the previous rules.
Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz.
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Chlöe Swarbrick writes that there was in fact an excellent Auckland flood response – just not from those paid to do it. Trans man Ross Palethorpe looks back on a painful and emotionally exhausting month for his community. Duncan Greive remembers the big dreams and cursed history of NZ’s abandoned youth media brands. Alex Casey talks to Napier potter Holly Morgan about the public pottery project she launched in the days following Cyclone Gabrielle. And Gem Wilder mounts a defence of reading smut.
Sporting snippets
The once-dominant Southern Steel are languishing at the bottom of the ANZ Premiership, with no wins from nine games.
All Blacks Stephen Perofeta and Nepo Laulala were both injured during the Blues’ drubbing of the Waratahs on Saturday night, putting there places in the NZ squad at risk ahead of World Cup selection.
After 15 years out of the Football League, the Welsh team of Wrexham – subjects of the Disney+ documentary series Welcome to Wrexham – have secured promotion in a match attended by jubilant co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Farewell to the Moonee Ponds housewife who became a global ‘gigastar’
“Author, actor, actress, librettist, poet, singer, commentator, interviewer, bibliophile, painter, dandy, iconoclast.” Barry Humphries was, writes Sydney Morning Herald obituarist Mark McGinness, “simply the most original, outrageous, enduring entertainer in Australia’s history.” McGinness’s tribute is affectionate but forthright – Humphries battled more than his fair share of demons through the years, including alcoholism and serial infidelity – and is a deservedly comprehensive survey of a remarkable life.
The obituary also serves as a reminder of just how huge a star Dame Edna Everage was in the 1980s and 90s. I’d forgotten, for instance, that she hosted multiple UK and US chat shows, and had a recurring role on Ally McBeal. At the link above is a compilation video of some of Humphries’ best moments – well worth six minutes of your time.
