Kiwis living in Australia could soon be given the right to vote in elections

Kiwis living and working in Australia could be given the right to vote in Australian elections, under a new plan from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Mr Albanese made the announcement while standing next to Jacinda Ardern in Sydney on Friday.

‘One of the issues that we’ll look at as well unilaterally in Australia is, in New Zealand, if you’re an Australian who have been resident for a year, you have voting rights in New Zealand, you’re able to participate fully in those processes,’ Mr Albanese explained.

‘So, as part of the normal review process that occurs after a federal election in Australia, we’ll be asking the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to consider whether there’s a way to return to systems that have existed in the past of giving New Zealand people who are here in Australia, contributing to society, paying taxes, working, voting rights here in Australia as well.

‘We won’t pre-empt those processes, but it is, I think, a really common-sense position to at least examine over coming months.’

 Anthony Albanese made the announcement alongside New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Mr Albanese also flagged changes to allow New Zealanders living in Australia to swap residency for citizenship.

‘We don’t want people to be temporary residents forever,’ he said.

‘We know that there have been a range of issues raised relating to citizenship and we think those pathways and working through these issues, so that people get more rights that are more consistent – whether it be Australians who have moved to New Zealand, or New Zealanders moving to Australia.

‘We want to work through these issues with all the implications that are there for full participation in our respective societies.’

 More to come.

 New Zealanders living and working in Australia could soon be given the right to vote in Australian elections