Party eyes expats in Australia

A political party representing New Zealand expatriates is relaunching for the general election.

The Expat Party wants a stronger voice in New Zealand’s Parliament for the 650,000 Kiwis living in Australia, many of whom are ineligible for health, education and welfare entitlements across the Tasman.

Its relaunch comes as Australia announces further rule changes which make it harder for Kiwis to get citizenship and more expensive to attend university.

The Expat Party had planned to run in 2014 and signed up 1200 paidup members — well above the required threshold of 500 — but was unable to get registered in time because the Electoral Commission could not confirm some of its members.

That meant it did not contest the party vote and ran one candidate as an independent in Ikaroa-Rawhiti, who pulled just 70 votes.

Co-leader Grant Cheesman, originally from Oamaru and based in Perth, said the Expat Party would focus on the party vote this year. It needs about 150,000 votes to pass the 5 per cent threshold required to enter Parliament.

The party’s election platform is fairer treatment for Kiwis living in Australia, many of whom arrived after immigration rules were tightened in 2001 and had limited access to entitlements despite paying tax.

Cheesman said the party also wants to make it easier for Kiwis overseas to vote.

Expat New Zealanders cannot vote in Australia unless they are citizens. Australians, on the other hand, can vote in New Zealand if they have lived here for a year.

The Expat Party is one of several new groups making a bid for Parliament this year.

The newly-formed Advance New Zealand party took out advertisements in newspapers last week.

Other parties which have been formed to contest the 2017 election include Gareth Morgan’s The Opportunities Party (TOP), the People’s Party and the Seniors Party.