Advocate for NZ expats in Australia asks actor to join class action
NEW ZEALAND expatriates in Australia are being called on to take legal action to get federal laws nullified as discriminatory.
In the leadup to Australia Day, rights campaigner David Faulkner, of Sydney, posted online about possible class action.
He said it was time to switch from lobbying politicians to fighting in court — and called on actor Russell Crowe to add his backing to achieve fairer citizenship laws.
Crowe this month said in an interview with The Huffington Post that the federal Government’s position on expatriate New Zealanders was unfair, and his own situation was ‘‘very odd’’.
His face was on an Australian postage stamp but he did not have citizenship in the country he has called home for most of his life.
‘‘It’s an unfair situation that burdens . . . 250,000 New Zealanders who have made a life in Australia,’’ he said.
‘‘And that’s why I bring it up. Because sooner or later, somebody will come along and say, ‘this is actually completely unfair and we need to change it’, but if I do the nudgenudge, winkwink, then I’m bailing on 250,000 other people.’’
Faulkner seized on the interview, posting online a quote from Crowe and picture of him in the Oscarwinning movie Gladiator, to gauge interest.
‘‘We had an overwhelming response of more than 500 individuals, in an evening, saying that they would be willing to join in,’’ he said.
Faulkner has helped with several successful court challenges over laws that denied expats the benefits other taxpayers, and many other migrants, get.
He said he had spoken to leading class action law firm Maurice Blackburn; the firm would not comment.
It would be an uphill battle, Faulkner said, but he thought there was precedent in the Mabo land decision of 1992 for grassroots action to nullify unfair laws.
It was a cause that Crowe should consider joining, he said.
‘‘He’s given his tacit support to the 250,000 Kiwis here who are affected by the citizenship law. What would be wonderful is that he actually came on board and gave his full support by joining in an action.
‘‘We expect the Australian Government to fight this tooth and nail all the way to the High Court.’’ — RNZ