New Zealand Australians
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 483,398 (by birth) 187,212 (by ancestry) |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
| New Zealand-born people by state or territory | |
| Queensland | 192,037 |
| New South Wales | 114,231 |
| Victoria | 80,235 |
| Western Australia | 70,735 |
| Languages | |
| Australian English · New Zealand English · Māori | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity · Other | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| European Australians · Anglo-Celtic Australians | |
New Zealand Australians refers to Australian citizens whose origins are in New Zealand, as well as New Zealand migrants and expatriates based in Australia. Migration from New Zealand to Australia is a very common phenomenon, given Australia and New Zealand's proximity and cultural links.
According to the 2011 Census, there were 187,212 people of New Zealand descent in Australia and 483,398 New Zealand-born people residing in the country at the moment of the census, having an increase of 24.1 per cent compared to the 2006 Census. The largest New Zealand-born community in Australia is in the state of Queensland, with 192,037 people.
In 2013, there were about 650,000 New Zealand citizens living in Australia, which is about 15 per cent of the population of New Zealand.
Under various arrangements since the 1920s, there has been a free flow of people between Australia and New Zealand. Since 1973 the informal Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement has allowed for the free movement of citizens of one nation to the other. The only major exception to these travel privileges is for individuals with outstanding warrants or criminal backgrounds who are deemed dangerous or undesirable for the migrant nation and its citizens. In recent decades, many New Zealanders have migrated to Australian cities such as Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. Since 1994 New Zealand passport holders are issued with special category visas on arrival in Australia. Although this agreement is reciprocal there has been resulting significant net migration from New Zealand to Australia. In 2001 there were eight times more New Zealanders living in Australia than Australians living in New Zealand. Many such New Zealanders include Maori Australians.
New Zealanders in Australia were previously granted permanent residency upon arrival in Australia with, like all permanent residents, immediate access to Australian welfare benefits. However, in 1986 the Hawke Labor Government brought in the rule whereby New Zealand Citizens had to wait six months after arrival in order to qualify for social security benefits. The Keating Labor Government introduced 'Special Category Visas' (SCVs) for New Zealand Citizens in 1994, which included the denial of HECS fee help and Austudy payments for tertiary study unless SCV holders became Australian Citizens. In 1998, the Howard Government increased the stand down period for general welfare payments to two years, which is the standard waiting period for all permanent residents in Australia. It is important to note that, during these changes, New Zealand Citizens remained as Permanent Residents upon arrival in Australia, with the same basic rights and pathway to citizenship as all Permanent Residents.
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