New Zealanders, Australia's 'Underclass'
By Robert Burton-Bradley - NewMatilda.com
 |
| The flag of Australia |
Documents released under Freedom of Information reveal
the Federal Government has been concerned since 2008 about New Zealanders
isolated from support, education and pathways to citizenship, reports Robert
Burton-Bradley
 |
| The flag of New Zealand |
Documents released (pdf) under Freedom of Information reveal the
Federal Government is worried about a growing "underclass" of New
Zealanders living and working in Australia with limited rights and without
access to basic government services.
The FOI release from the Departments of Community
Services, Immigration and Foreign Affairs show that as far back as 2008 there
was increasing concern for the estimated 566,000 New Zealand citizens now
living in Australia, drawn here by a "40 per cent wage gap". At least
240,000 fall into the post 2001 non-protected visa category.
New Zealanders can live and work in Australia
indefinitely as Special Category Visa holders, but following changes to the
migration program those who arrived after 2001 fall into the "non-protected
category" with no access to basic social services such as unemployment
benefits, parenting payments, sickness allowance or HECS-funded study. They
will not be covered by the National Disability Insurance Scheme when it begins.
In early 2009, with the GFC beginning to hurt, the
situation was making itself clear to staff at the Department of Community
Services. In March of that year a section manager working for the department's
international policy section wrote: "We have recently seen an increase in
correspondence around non protected SCV holders and their inability to access
working age payments. I suspect this issue will only intensify with the
downturn in the economy . . . .
See the full story at: newmatilda.com
Peter’s
Piece
If Australians want the production and taxes of New
Zealanders then they should be prepared to give them the protection that they
have been taxed for. In this case the taxation really is nothing less than
theft and extortion.
I have always found most Australians very reasonable
people, but I would say to those who object to sharing their country with other
taxpayers, they should exercise their own option and go somewhere else to live.
For more than 200 years Australia and New Zealand
have been like one nation. Has the time come to
make it one nation?
Read about the first years of Australia
in this hard-to-put-down book
Download a free sample of Nathaniel's Bloodline now from:
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