Summarised by Centrist
New Zealanders living in Australia can expect their direct citizenship pathway to remain in place after the federal election, with both major parties backing the current rules.
The policy, introduced in 2023 by the Albanese Labor Government, allows most Kiwis to apply for Australian citizenship after four years of residence without needing permanent residency first.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s campaign confirmed that a Liberal-National coalition government would retain the arrangement, with a spokesperson saying, “A Dutton coalition Government will not change the current policy.”
The pathway reversed a 2001 policy under John Howard that had made it far more difficult for New Zealanders to gain citizenship and limited their access to healthcare and education benefits, even for long-term residents.
Tensions over trans-Tasman migration and deportations persist.
Dutton, as Home Affairs Minister, was known for his tough stance on deporting New Zealanders convicted of crimes, describing one deportation flight as “taking out the trash.”
The current Labor Government initially softened its stance on the controversial “501” deportations but later re-tightened its approach under political pressure.
For Kiwis in Australia, the election result is unlikely to disrupt the new citizenship pathway, which is a shift from the uncertainty of previous decades.
