Aussie non-entities

Australia Day. We’ve all seen the slogans – “Love it or leave”, “Fit in or f**k off”, “”P*ss off. We’re full”. We love it. We want to fit in. So why do the authorities make it so hard for us to become Aussies?

We arrived in SEQ from NZ 2005. Wouldn’t go back, no comparison. We consider ourselves “permanent residents”, but according to the Immigration Service we are simply NZers with SCV status – Special Category Visa. If we had been here prior to 2001 we would be able to be considered permanent residents, but no, we have to apply.

If we were refugees from, say, Somalia, we would have an easy road to citizenship.

If we were boat people from, say, Indonesia, we would have an easy road to citizenship.

If we were business people with capital from, say, China, we would have an easy road to citizenship.

But we’re simple ol’ Kiwis, willing to work, willing to accept the country as our home, but here only out of the goodness of the Aussie Immigration Service’s heart as SCV holders with restricted permanent resident entitlements. We can’t access education loans, we can’t go onto Defence sites, we can’t get some Social Security benefits.

Check it out. The Immigration website says: A “New Zealand citizen is required to first apply for and be granted a permanent residence visa before being eligible to apply for grant of Australian citizenship” if they were not “in Australia on 26 February 2001 as SCV holders”. (http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/travel-documents/new-zealand.htm#f)

There are 8 categories of citizenship. As over 50s without sponsors, and without skills that “cannot be filled from the Australian labour market”, hubby and I don’t seem to stand a chance. Never mind the fact that we have been constantly employed since moving here, pay taxes, contribute to the economy, have never asked for a cent from Centrelink or any other welfare organisation.

Each Australia Day I watch the TV interviews with new citizens who can hardly even speak English but who have become citizens by virtue of their status, and my resentment is growing. I’ve been through the Citizenship Wizard, the Visa Wizard, read Fact Sheet 17 – New Zealanders in Australia, read the Immigration form 1126i, and been round and round the website looking for information. Seems if I want to know more, I have to ring them.

I think I shall be on the phone tomorrow.