Kiwis in Oz on menu as Jacinda meets Bill

AUSTRALIA’S treatment of Kiwis was on the agenda as Jacinda Ardern sat down for a meal with her admiring Australian Labour counterpart, Bill Shorten, last night.

The informal dinner at Auckland’s SkyCity Grand Hotel marked their first meeting since Ardern became leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Arden said it was an opportunity to advocate on behalf of New Zealanders living across the Ditch.

"I certainly will raise the issues that I raise with my Australian counterparts every time we meet, and that will include citizenship issues for New Zealanders in Australia, and particularly issues around tertiary education as well," she said.

Shorten, meanwhile, was still singing Ardern’s praises over her election victory - something he would no doubt attempt to emulate in Australia’s next federal election.

"I’m here first of all to congratulate Jacinda on behalf of the Opposition and millions of Australians," he said.

"Jacindamania has spread across the Tasman; my daughters want me to get a selfie with Jacinda to send back to them.

"She is already showing, and many Australians have noticed, you are showing global and regional leadership."

Shorten said if made Prime Minister he would "bite the bullet" and support New Zealanders’ access to higher education in Australia, rather than treating them as "second-class residents".

"There are some anomalies now in the treatment of New Zealand citizens in Australia, in terms of access to higher education. More recently there have been some developments which penalise New Zealanders in Australia in terms of some of the costs of higher education."

The Australian Opposition leader had come to New Zealand from Papua New Guinea. He had previously urged Malcolm Turnbull to take up Ardern’s offer to allow refugees on Manus Island to be resettle in New Zealand – but that appeared to be taking a back seat in yesterday’s talks.

Asked whether he was still calling on Turnbull to accept the offer, Shorten said: "Ultimately it’s a matter for our government, but I think we should look pretty carefully and positively at the leadership that the New Zealand Government’s displaying in this matter."