Long term life in Australia has to be EARNED. If you're willing to run at the first sign of trouble you don't care about Australia, not legitimately, and the boom times are NOT over.

There are about 600,000 New Zealand citizens residing in Australia.  In 2001 the former Howard Government modified immigration policy which saw New Zealand citizens who went over after January 26 2001 (Australia Day) no longer entitled to welfare and being required to go through the normal immigration process to gain citizenship.  New Zealand citizens can still work in Australia indefinitely on the Special Category Visa (444) only intended for NZ citizens. 

Because Kiwis cannot qualify for welfare without going through the normal permanent residency and citizenship process there has been a great deal of whinging from Kiwis. 

At the crux of it, the Howard Government took away welfare entitlements because too many Kiwis were going over to Australia and sitting on welfare.  They became what is known as the "Bondi Bludger" and the Australian Government had to say "NO! No more!", so they did.

That hasn't stopped the steady stream of Kiwis moving to Australia, averaging around 30,000 - 40,000 at its height a couple of years ago.  Apparently the Australian economy is doing badly so Kiwis who moved here to work in the mines are struggling.  Several issues are left out of the articles primarily published by the New Zealand media sites like the NZ Herald and Stuff.co.nz.

For one thing, what the mainstream media isn't telling you (because it's basically a publicity campaign by IT firm Xero and an attempt by the Government to get people back) is that these people who are struggling with work are the types of people who didn't finish school, they didn't go to university or tech/TAFE and then when they lose a job, the only one for which they are actually qualified, they struggle to get another one.  They're the types of people who are "at the bottom of the pecking order" for want of a better phrase.  This means that in a recession they're the first people who will be made redundant.  They're the people who Australia doesn't really want because they don't add value to the economy and can't contribute long term.

For those who read the Australian media, you'd know that the NSW economy is booming.  That's according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week.  In a nutshell, NSW is actually carrying the Australian economy, and it's not all doom and gloom.  We have a booming property market (which I won't go into in this particular blog) and people, as you'd know, are still trying to get to Australia from the Middle East despite our tougher immigration policies.

I want to expand on the issue of welfare today however.

I returned to Sydney on Christmas Eve and I'm not going to lie.  Things have been absolutely tough at some points.  I've had three jobs for the last few months plus unpaid work experience.  Some weeks clocking up 50 hours a week.  I've had casual jobs and not had any security.  I've not known when I'm working week to week and although it changes this week when I move into a full time permanent job again it's been mighty tough.

But this is what I want to highlight.  Those who truly are committed to Australia will make it work, they won't whinge about not qualifying for welfare, and why should Kiwis qualify for welfare?  If you're going to run at the first sign of trouble as so many Kiwis are then why should the Australian taxpayer, myself included, help you out.  I understand everyone goes through tough times, but those who truly want to, those who have transferable skills and those who truly desire will make it work.  They won't let anything hold them back.  Those with the goods will have no trouble finding a job, even if they may need to take casual jobs to get by.

If people had access to welfare it would be easy to think, "I'm not going to do that job", or "that job is beneath me", and that's exactly the type of mentality the Australian Government is trying to stop with this policy.

Some Kiwis say that they're second class citizens, but here's the thing folks, you're not an Australian citizen at all, so in all honesty the Australian Government actually doesn't owe you a thing and you're privileged to live in the greatest nation on earth.  It's time Kiwis actually realised that.  The Australian Government could easily close the border completely and require Kiwi citizens to go through the border like everyone else. 

Broaching the issue of welfare constantly doesn't really help Kiwis' cause.  I'll tell you what would help Kiwis' cause for looser immigration - being committed 100% to Australia, being willing to die for this country, being so patriotic to this country you don't even consider yourself a New Zealander anymore, and basically being Australian in every way other than legally. 

Australian citizenship isn't a right.  It's something you have to work for and prove yourself worthy of obtaining and simple fact is, many Kiwis are not worthy.  If you still support the All Blacks then you're not loyal to Australia.  If you run at the first sign of trouble then you're just in it for the good times.

My concern, and the purpose of this blog is that once again the ISSUE OF VOTING is IGNORED by the NZ media.  Some of us don't care about welfare, some of us just want our basic democratic right.  I'm happy to pay the $3200 to obtain citizenship but I have to work a couple more years in media and IT before I can actually do so, and I'm willing to wait that long for official permanent residency and then the required two years further for citizenship. 

That's where the real issue lies in my book, not having a democratic right to vote.  The NSW election is being held in March and I can't vote in it - I use public transport on a daily, constant basis, I pay taxes to the NSW Government and yet I can't vote.  I can't even join a political party.  If you read on the websites of all the main parties you'll see you have to be a citizen to join, and THAT is not fair, not having a democratic voice is not fair.  The Federal Election is being held in 2016 and because of timing I'll miss that too.  Although I support the Coalition Government I'd like the right to vote in my place of residence, the place I call home.  This is a MAJOR fundamental issue that is being ignored.  Voting is at the heart of our nation's values, and without that right are we (Australia) any better than other countries?

Surely after a five year period Kiwis should at least be able to vote.  I've been here on and off since 2008, and it would be nice to vote.  In the meantime though, I'll travel back to Australia once every three years to keep the right to vote in NZ (as their policy affects me still) until I am an Australian citizen.

When it comes to the financial security many Kiwis are complaining about, it's really simple, just make sure you're careful with money and save save save, that message absolutely needs to be drummed home because it's not really right that Kiwis earn $100,000k + in the mines then when the times get tough they say they have no savings and are going back to NZ to access welfare.  That's exactly the mentality the Australian Government doesn't want.

The lazy Kiwis have ruined it for the hard working ones who will do whatever it takes to make a success of their life in Australia.  Despite the reports, the boom times are NOT over in Australia.  We're just seeing market correction with other industries expanding such as IT.  IT is expanding in Australia too.

If you aren't loyal to Australia, why should Australia be loyal to you?