Kiwis now banned from serving in Australian Defence Force (non-prior service)

[CougarKing]

A sad irony that nearly a century since the forefathers of both nations fought and bled together on the beaches of Gallipoli with the ANZAC Corps, that some in Australia today would so easily forget...

Note the highlighted part which emphasizes how the reverse is true in New Zealand where Aussie citizens can easily join after only 2 years' residency.

MSN News

Kiwis 'banned from Aussie armed forces'

The Anzac spirit is being questioned by an MP who says Kiwis are being effectively banned from enlisting in Australia's armed forces.

NZ First's Ron Mark, a former army officer, says it's another example of the low status New Zealanders have in Australia.

"I cannot fathom new rules over the Tasman which mean only Australian citizens can enlist, but here, Aussies can join our armed forces after two years residency," he said.

"While some Australian politicians are fighting in our corner, what is our government doing? Not very much by the look of it."

Mr Mark says it's good for New Zealanders to work with the "high end kit" the Australian armed forces have.

"Australia has fast jets, attack helicopters, airborne early warning and control aircraft and Reaper drones - it's good for Kiwis to get that sort of exposure," he said.

"At a time when we should be dropping barriers, this feels more like an underarm delivery and that's not the Anzac way."

 

[q_1966]

Disgraceful.

 

[dimsum]

This isn't a recent change, especially considering I know some ex-Kiwis in the ADF and because of the following article (which was in Jan 2015):

Why can't some expat Kiwis join the Australian Defence Force?
Only citizens or permanent residents who have applied for citizenship can join the ADF. Many New Zealanders moved to Australia after February 2001, when a law change blocked expats from getting permanent residency.

Why are some Kiwis now getting a chance to join the ADF?
A rule change in 2013 allowed New Zealanders who had lived in Australia before September 1994 to get a Resident Return Visa. This meant these expats were eligible to serve in the military.

Why is this important?
Expats are hoping for an end to discrimination against Kiwis in Australia. Many are still unable to enlist in the army because of the 2001 law change, and they cannot get access to social security or other support services.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11385028

 

[OTR1]

Yes this is sad.

It is an unfortunate by-product of laws enacted to do something about the staggering numbers of Kiwis who hopped across the Tasman to help themselves to Oz welfare/social security.

Years and years of attempts to fix that problem by others means all failed.

Hopefully someone can devise a solution that addresses the problem and removes the by-products, of which this is one.

Assertions or imputations of malicious discrimination are garbage.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Having them enlist and then having an honourable hitch, they can choose to go back or stay

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Yes this is sad.

It is an unfortunate by-product of laws enacted to do something about the staggering numbers of Kiwis who hopped across the Tasman to help themselves to Oz welfare/social security.

Years and years of attempts to fix that problem by others means all failed.

Hopefully someone can devise a solution that addresses the problem and removes the by-products, of which this is one.

Assertions or imputations of malicious discrimination are garbage.

Incorporation of a seventh state to the Commonwealth, perhaps? The NZ population is about right for one.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Or just invade it.

Wasn't that proposed a few years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Q36-9UUQE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6fgZ-dbOw

 

[OTR1]

NZ was part of the negotiations in the 1890s that created the Oz constitution. I'm not familiar enough with that history for even a one-line explanation of their pulling out the deal.

It's worth noting that Kiwi emigres have by far the highest take-up of Oz citizenship. The number of Kiwis in Oz is now comfortably over 500,000, and the govt statistics people think it will hit a million in the early/mid 2020s. So, for those with an eye on ADF careers, maybe it's best to think about the citizenship path until and unless the current rules are amended.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

What's wrong with NZ that everyone wants to leave?

 

[George Wallace]

Bilbo Baggins

 

[dimsum]

What's wrong with NZ that everyone wants to leave?

Basically, a lack of jobs (esp very specialized ones) with the jobs that are there paying significantly less than in Australia, while the cost of living is essentially the same or higher.  When I visited NZ in 2013, petrol was $2.10/L while it was ~$1.45/L in east coast Australia.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

So, not a good retirement choice. 8)

 

[George Wallace]

So, not a good retirement choice. 8)

Ditto.