Albanese Government's Kiwi Migration Policy Backfires with Surging Numbers

The Albanese government made a policy change in July 2023 to give New Zealanders easier access to welfare and citizenship, which has led to an influx of Kiwis coming to Australia. According to sources familiar with cabinet deliberations at the time, Treasury and Home Affairs officials expressed concerns that this move would create too big an incentive for Kiwis to move to Australia.

The net intake of New Zealanders surged to 38,000 per year in the two years after the policy change, compared to about 8000 or fewer before the pandemic. In the 2024-25 financial year, New Zealanders on special visas made up 12.5% of the net migration figure.

The government is now scrambling to find ways to reduce net migration after consistently overshooting its targets. The Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, warned about the costs of lowering migration, arguing that the Coalition was intent on 'dividing the country' and crashing the economy.