Phil
Goff
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
11 February 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT

Discrimination against Kiwis overlooked at Summit

While Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, was able to use the weekend’s Queenstown Summit to persuade our Prime Minister to accept an annual quota of boat people, John Key made no progress on the issue of discrimination against Kiwis permanently resident in Australia, says Labour’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Phil Goff.

“The disadvantage and in some cases serious social hardship suffered by Kiwis permanently living in Australia simply has to be addressed.

“Kiwis who are living permanently in Australia, paying their taxes and contributing the hard work, skills and education they bring to that country are denied the rights to a social safety net that every other permanent resident in Australia enjoys.

“Kiwis and Aussies share a strong belief that people should have a fair go. Over here, Australians have all the rights of New Zealanders after two years of residence. It is not fair that this is not reciprocated.

“Kids born or brought up in Australia who see themselves as Australians don’t get the same support or help to gain tertiary education or skills training. That damages Australia as well as the young people affected.

“Kiwis living in Australia are effectively disenfranchised as they have no right to vote there and lose their right to vote in New Zealand.

“New Zealanders who are long-term residents in Australia deserve the rights that go with permanent residence,” Phil Goff said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>