Australia woos citizens

By NATASHA HARRIS

The Australian Government is spending millions of dollars trying to lure New Zealanders living there long term to become "true-blue Aussies", but there is no similar drive here to turn residents into citizens.

Instead the Government promotes the option through modest advertising in community directories and the phone book and by hosting the occasional talk.

"We don't specifically target one group as we want to promote citizenship to everyone," Department of Internal Affairs spokesman Tony Wallace said.

"We're not saying we don't want Australians, we just have a strategy that targets all people who are eligible for citizenship to make inquiries."

His comments come as Australia sets aside A$4 million ($4.6 million) to attract its 350,000 British migrants and 202,700 New Zealand residents into becoming citizens.

About 55,000 Australians live in New Zealand and with Britons they make up the highest number of long-term residents without citizenship. Just 92 Australians became New Zealand citizens last year.

Australian Citizenship Minister Gary Hardgrave is wooing long-term residents with claims that Australia is the best country in the world.

He points to a 20 per cent increase in the past year of those signing up as showing "they want to weld themselves to the safety and security that citizenship brings in these uncertain times".

Investment tycoon Sir Ron Brierley was one who crossed over this year and jockey Greg Childs has also applied for citizenship.

Childs said he had done so for his children - "They were born in Hong Kong but have New Zealand passports and live in Australia. Australia is their home and it gives them a base and security."

Some Australians are becoming Kiwis, like the world women's number one squash player, Carol Owens, who has been a citizen since February. She moved here six years ago as she liked working with the New Zealand squash coach at the time, Paul Wright.

"I was training here, I bought a house - things were working out well for me so I just decided that I wanted to play for New Zealand and become a citizen."

Fellow Australian Steve Devine came to New Zealand nearly five years ago after being asked to play for the Blues but the All Black halfback has not become a citizen because of the "effort" involved.

"There's no real reason to become one as I've got residency. It's just really the effort thing. When you get a bit of time off rugby, you don't really want to go and get your citizenship."

He stayed in New Zealand after his initial stint in the Blues because "I like the outdoors, fishing and hunting here ... and I like how within a two hour drive you can be at a remote beach".

New Zealanders and Australians gain automatic residency when crossing the ditch to live and can have dual citizenship, which is a reason many do not give up their original nationality.