Rocky Icon Gets Residency

NZ’s Rocky icon coming home: Give Riff Raff a kiss!

Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien has been granted New Zealand residency, and Kiwis can celebrate by giving his bronze avatar a kiss!

Dion Smart, Richard’s immigration agent, says word came through from the immigration department last Friday and that the entertainment legend will “get the stamps in his passport” this week.

“Richard was very happy with the news,” Mr Smart says.

“Richard’s residency is great news for Hamilton, as he really is our local hero,” says Mark Servian, who has campaign for the move.

“So I call on everyone here to celebrate by going and giving the Riff Raff statue a kiss, ideally wearing lipstick.”

The granting of residency follows a letter-writing push led by Mr Servian, who initiated Riff Raff. His ‘Let Richard O'Brien be a New Zealand citizen!’ Facebook group (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=124775694223167&ref=ts) has attracted over 3600 members.

“Hundreds of people have posted that they see Richard O’Brien as a national treasure who should have been welcoming home with a big hug, not put through the immigration hoops,” Mr Servian says. “But it is great to see that the Minister has now let Richard really sing ‘I’m coming home’.”

Associate Immigration Minister Kate Wilkinson responded to dozens of letters supporting Richard application by deciding to use her discretionary power and waive immigration rules banning family members from sponsoring relatives that are over 55. Mr O’Brien was still required to then pass medical and police tests, which he has cleared with ease.

Residency is also the key step on Richard’s journey to citizenship. He has said that while he has always considered himself a New Zealander, he is seeking official citizenship so that he could properly “belong”. His family have lived in Tauranga since the 1950s.

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