Flood relief missing for New Zealanders in Australia

Australia, 20th January: New Zealanders living in Australia on Australian visas are not getting the flood relief payments as a result of a loophole in the Australian government rules.

As a rule, all New Zealanders having Australian visas are equally eligible for receiving payout of flood relief as the other Australian citizens and residents in Australia.

But, the Australian government officials have confirmed that Kiwis affected by recent floods in Australia are not being extended emergency help.

One New Zealander living in Queensland who had been a victim of the recent floods said that she had talked to officials of an Australian support agency-Centrelink, at one of the evacuation centers but was baffled to know that New Zealanders did not had eligibility for receiving emergency relief funds.

The reason cited by Australian government officials for denying the emergency help to Kiwis was that they had moved to Australia after 26th February 2001, stated the woman in an email addressed to the Labor Party.

Christel Broederlow, a Kiwi expat, who has been living in Australia (Queensland) for about last 13 years ago, has been helping New Zealanders and assisting in cleaning up of flood affected Queensland areas.

Mrs. Broederlow said that New Zealand citizens are not getting the flood relief assistance despite the fact that they have been paying all the taxes and had also been giving donations towards the flood relief funds.

According to general manager of Centrelink, Hank Jongen, Australian residents affected by floods in Queensland are entitled to payout of $400 for every child and $1000 for every adult meaning that Kiwis living in Australia who had arrived here after 2001 were not eligible for such payouts.

According to an official spokeswoman for the Foreign Affairs Minster Murray McCully, the Government had held talks with the High Commission in Canberra for raising the issue with the government of Australia.

She maintained that New Zealanders are eligible for getting income support subsidies and would be qualified for receiving assistance at the state level.

Phil Goff, the Labor leader stated that the government needs to do much more.

There are around 566,815 New Zealand nationals living in Australia, as per the official figures till June 30, 2010 reveal.