FYI - A useful timeline to give you some information and background over the various changes between NZ and Australias travel arrangements and pathways. How have changes over time affected New Zealand citizens in Australia? Changes to travel arrangements Reflecting our similar histories, the Australian and New Zealand Governments have had arrangements in place since at least the 1920s to assist a free flow of people between the two countries. The current arrangements have been in place since 1973. 1973 The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement was introduced. The joint report released by the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand (The Hon E.G. Whitlam QC MP and the Hon N.E. Kirk MP) on 22 January 1973 stated: “The Prime Ministers agreed that citizens of each country and citizens of other Commonwealth countries who have resident status in either Australia or New Zealand should henceforth be able to travel between Australia and New Zealand, for permanent or temporary stay, without passports or visas.” (Productivity Commission 2012) A series of ministerial-level agreements and understandings, dating from 1973 onwards, established a Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, which helped the entry of Australian and New Zealand citizens into one another’s country to visit, live and work without needing visas or permits. 1 July 1981 The Hon I.M. Macphee MP, Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, announced that all those entering Australia under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement were required to carry a passport valid for travel from this date. This change was introduced on 1 July 1981 and at the same time Australia ended the previous arrangement where New Zealand permanent residents, who were citizens of other Commonwealth countries, were included under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement. 1 September 1994 This date represented the commencement of supporting regulations to the Migration Reform Act. Under transitional Regulation 17, any New Zealand citizen who was not granted another visa on that day (either through another transitional regulation or an Act-based visa) was granted a SCV. The Special Category visa (subclass 444) was introduced on this day as a temporary visa. Before this date, a New Zealand citizen who was in Australia as an exempt non-citizen was considered a permanent resident under the Migration Act 1958. Entitlements to services and benefits Within most Australian Government legislation, New Zealand citizens who live in Australia are defined as Australian residents. This means you have access to many of the services and benefits that apply to Australian citizens and permanent residents, including Medicare and Commonwealth-funded education places. The following information is provided in relation to the most common issues raised with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection by New Zealand citizens living in Australia. Social Security Until 1986, both countries provided unlimited access to all social security payments and public health systems for each other’s citizens. In response to the substantial increase in the number of New Zealand citizens living in Australia, however, Australia tightened access to social security at various times, with the New Zealand Government often partially matching these various limits. (Productivity Commission 2012). New Zealand citizens living in Australia today may be eligible for a number of social security benefits and services, including: child-related social security (such as baby bonus, child care benefit, parental leave pay) family tax benefits concession cards Age pension (under the bilateral agreement) Disability support pension (under the bilateral agreement) Carer Payment (under the bilateral agreement) In all cases, specific entitlement can only be confirmed by the Department of Human Services (DHS). Information or clarification on what is covered under the bilateral agreement can be obtained from DHS or NZ Work and Income (a part of the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development). Information on the changes over time in Australia, (source: Productivity Commission 2012), with specific detail on the effect of the 2001 changes, is: 1986 A six-month waiting period was introduced for New Zealand citizens in 1986 for access to unemployment income support payments. At the time there was no waiting period that applied to holders of a permanent entry permit. 1996 The Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period was introduced in 1996 for Australian permanent residents. This period was usually for two years and applied to all new permanent residents but was not extended to SCV holders. 2000 In 2000, a two-year waiting period was introduced for SCV holders to align the arrangements for New Zealand citizens with those that applied to new permanent residents. 2001 On 26 February 2001, a new bilateral social security agreement between Australia and New Zealand was announced. This agreement set out arrangements for payment of age pension, disability support pension and carer payment (and their New Zealand equivalents) to the citizens of Australia and New Zealand when living in the other country. New Zealand citizens have access to these payments under the criteria set out in the bilateral agreement. This bilateral agreement also recognised the right of each country to determine access to social security benefits not covered by the agreement, and to set related residence and citizenship rules according to the respective country’s national legislative and policy frameworks. In line with that principle, a number of supplementary changes were announced by Australia. As a result, the Social Security Act 1991 requires New Zealand citizens who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001, to apply for and be granted an Australian permanent visa if they wish to access certain social security payments (including income support payments) not covered by the bilateral agreement. To support this social security change, amendments were also made to citizenship and migration legislation to require New Zealand citizens to become permanent residents if they want to be eligible: for Australian citizenship, or to sponsor family members for a permanent visa. Under transitional arrangements, these changes did not affect New Zealand citizens who: were in Australia on 26 February 2001 as Special Category visa (subclass 444) holders were outside Australia on 26 February 2001, but were in Australia as an SCV holder for a total of 12 months in the two years before that date, and subsequently returned to Australia had a certificate issued under the Social Security Act 1991, stating that they were living in Australia on a particular date. These certificates are no longer issued. immi.gov.au/live/pages/new-zealand-citizens.aspx
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 18:06:39 +0000