Kiwis taking flight across Tasman

MORE than 600,000 New Zealanders - almost 15 per cent of the trans-Tasman nation's population - are living in Australia on temporary visas.

New figures show the number of NZ citizens with special category visas jumped 5.4 per cent in the past year as they arrived in droves seeking jobs and better economic conditions.

The New Zealanders are among 1.75 million people, equal to the population of Perth, here on temporary visas, including tourists, foreign students, working holidaymakers and skilled workers on 457 visas.

Monash University population expert Dr Bob Birrell said the number of Kiwis was extraordinary but, unlike other temporary visa holders, they could stay as long as they liked under a trans-Tasman deal.

"They, like working holidaymakers, students and others, add to the competition for jobs, for space on our roadways and ... for housing," he said.

Dr Birrell said that the Kiwi influx was adding about 30,000 people a year to Australia's net migration intake as the economic gulf between the countries grew.

"So it makes sense if you're looking for a job to move to Australia rather than stay in NZ. It's like a bottomless pit, the numbers are really significant."

Dr Birrell said Kiwis here on temporary visas should be given permanent residence, but only if limits were placed on future movement of people from NZ to live and work in Australia.

Immigration Department figures reveal a record number of 1.75 million temporary entrants were here as of December 31 - up 7.2 per cent on the previous year.

This included 618,000 New Zealanders on special category visas, 402,000 visitors, 242,000 foreign students, 162,000 working holiday-makers, 157,000 on 457 visas and 102,000 on bridging visas.

UK citizens topped the visitors list on 82,000, followed by Chinese (33,300), Americans (29,000) and Indians (26,300). Of student visa holders, there were 53,300 Chinese and 29,500 Indians.

john.masanauskas@news.com.au

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Kiwis taking flight across Tasman

MORE than 600,000 New Zealanders - almost 15 per cent of the trans-Tasman nation's population - are living in Australia on temporary visas.

New figures show the number of NZ citizens with special category visas jumped 5.4 per cent in the past year as they arrived in droves seeking jobs and better economic conditions.

The New Zealanders are among 1.75 million people, equal to the population of Perth, here on temporary visas, including tourists, foreign students, working holidaymakers and skilled workers on 457 visas.

Monash University population expert Dr Bob Birrell said the number of Kiwis was extraordinary but, unlike other temporary visa holders, they could stay as long as they liked under a trans-Tasman deal.

"They, like working holidaymakers, students and others, add to the competition for jobs, for space on our roadways and ... for housing," he said.

Dr Birrell said that the Kiwi influx was adding about 30,000 people a year to Australia's net migration intake as the economic gulf between the countries grew.

"So it makes sense if you're looking for a job to move to Australia rather than stay in NZ. It's like a bottomless pit, the numbers are really significant."

Dr Birrell said Kiwis here on temporary visas should be given permanent residence, but only if limits were placed on future movement of people from NZ to live and work in Australia.

Immigration Department figures reveal a record number of 1.75 million temporary entrants were here as of December 31 - up 7.2 per cent on the previous year.

This included 618,000 New Zealanders on special category visas, 402,000 visitors, 242,000 foreign students, 162,000 working holiday-makers, 157,000 on 457 visas and 102,000 on bridging visas.

UK citizens topped the visitors list on 82,000, followed by Chinese (33,300), Americans (29,000) and Indians (26,300). Of student visa holders, there were 53,300 Chinese and 29,500 Indians.

john.masanauskas@news.com.au

View the original article here

Kiwis taking flight across Tasman

MORE than 600,000 New Zealanders - almost 15 per cent of the trans-Tasman nation's population - are living in Australia on temporary visas.

New figures show the number of NZ citizens with special category visas jumped 5.4 per cent in the past year as they arrived in droves seeking jobs and better economic conditions.

The New Zealanders are among 1.75 million people, equal to the population of Perth, here on temporary visas, including tourists, foreign students, working holidaymakers and skilled workers on 457 visas.

Monash University population expert Dr Bob Birrell said the number of Kiwis was extraordinary but, unlike other temporary visa holders, they could stay as long as they liked under a trans-Tasman deal.

"They, like working holidaymakers, students and others, add to the competition for jobs, for space on our roadways and ... for housing," he said.

Dr Birrell said that the Kiwi influx was adding about 30,000 people a year to Australia's net migration intake as the economic gulf between the countries grew.

"So it makes sense if you're looking for a job to move to Australia rather than stay in NZ. It's like a bottomless pit, the numbers are really significant."

Dr Birrell said Kiwis here on temporary visas should be given permanent residence, but only if limits were placed on future movement of people from NZ to live and work in Australia.

Immigration Department figures reveal a record number of 1.75 million temporary entrants were here as of December 31 - up 7.2 per cent on the previous year.

This included 618,000 New Zealanders on special category visas, 402,000 visitors, 242,000 foreign students, 162,000 working holiday-makers, 157,000 on 457 visas and 102,000 on bridging visas.

UK citizens topped the visitors list on 82,000, followed by Chinese (33,300), Americans (29,000) and Indians (26,300). Of student visa holders, there were 53,300 Chinese and 29,500 Indians.

john.masanauskas@news.com.au

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Is this the face of a thug? Kiwis think so

SCARY: Queensland Firebirds captain Laura Geitz is New Zealand netball's public enemy number one. Source: The Courier-Mail

LAURA Geitz has returned fire in a trans-Tasman furore that has cast the Queensland Firebirds captain in the unfamiliar role of netball thug.

Geitz was booed by the crowd and later accused by Central Pulse coach Robyn Broughton of landing a cheap shot on Kiwi great Donna Wilkins in the Firebirds' two-goal ANZ Championship win in Wellington.

Wilkins, a 64-Test Silver Ferns veteran, winced in pain and dropped to her knees after a third-quarter collision with the Queensland and Australia goalkeeper.

Wilkins exchanged angry words with Geitz after the game, and later told Radio New Zealand she believed umpires should have more power to adjudicate on foul play.

Geitz, who accepted the penalty for her bump on the shooter, said Wilkins needed to toughen up.

"Donna Wilkins is a smart player, an experienced player. She's been around and knows what buttons to push, and good on her," she said.

"But if you give it out you have to be prepared to take it as well."

Attacking the popular Wilkins, who took an injury time-out but was not replaced, is the netball equivalent of targeting All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

It has created a backlash in New Zealand, and Geitz must revisit the dragon's lair on Sunday to face the Northern Mystics in Auckland.

Broughton blamed the Firebirds defender for the collision and said it set a poor example for juniors.

"I'm not going to come in and tell my players to retaliate or come back with the same sort of thing because it's against the rules," she told Wellington's Dominion Post newspaper.

Geitz was on the receiving end of rough play and was left with a deep 6cm-long wound on her neck after the side's round 1 clash with Southern Steel.

She said the contact with Wilkins was a regular part of a physical game.

"I never go out there to intentionally hurt anyone," she said.

"If there is contact, I won't step down. That's (the nature of) the position I play.

"We have some young players in the team and they will never see me back down."

Laura Geitz must revisit the dragon's lair on Sunday to face the Northern Mystics in Auckland. Picture: Jono Searle

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