New law means not all babies born here will be citizens [for New Zealand]

Stuff.co.nz ^ | 08 December 2005

[NZerFromHK]

Not all babies born in this country will automatically become citizens of New Zealand under a law change coming into effect on January 1.

The change will affect some of the babies born to up to 500 couples who travel to New Zealand each year to give birth so their children can obtain a New Zealand passport.

The children born here to couples who have no claim to New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency will not be entitled to citizenship under the new rules.

Registrar-general of Births, Deaths and Marriages Brian Clarke, said the change would only affect a small number of babies.

"The new rules will not affect the vast majority of children born in New Zealand.

"If at least one parent is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident their new baby will be a citizen of this country. This generally includes Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Mr Clarke said that it also applied where at least one parent was a permanent resident of the Cook Islands, Tokelau or Niue.

Children born to New Zealand citizens outside of New Zealand will generally acquire New Zealand citizenship by descent.

And Mr Clarke emphasised the need for all parents of newborn babies to register their child's birth.

"All babies born here must be registered, whether they are New Zealand citizens or not. Even if your child is not a New Zealand citizen, you will need a New Zealand birth record to register your child's citizenship in your home country and to obtain a passport for your child," he said.

Birth registration ensures that babies who are New Zealand citizens have access to their rights and entitlements, including education, healthcare and a New Zealand passport.

The new provision is part of the Citizenship Amendment Act, passed in April, and applies only to babies born on or after January 1, 2006.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> The new muslim order in Oz probably scaring the crap out of them...

I don't think Muslims or Ozzies scare the crap out of us at all, even at the best of times... but we are inclined to observe matters carefully and to be guided by commonsense.

[NZerFromHK]

I second that. I was polled for a political survey in June and the pollster asked me questions about my political orientations and who I was going to vote. When pressed for whay issues I have the most concern about, I could hear the astonishment from that pollster when I said "Certainly terrorism and security". It just wasn't on the radar screen of New Zealanders living in utopian state of mind and I imagine I was perhaps the only person polled or even researched who ever raised the WOT as an issue.

I know 7/7 bombs in London has shaken quite a few New Zealanders. After that 2/3 became concerned about terrorism. There is still far too much historical sentiments for NZ (and English Canada) to swallow if Britain got attacked again.

[shaggy eel]

Don't forget that Dear Helen's mates at places like Berkeley or Cambridge Massachusetts (people like Noam Chomsky et al) will have a hissy fit by just looking at this legislation.

,,, what they think doesn't matter a rat's arse. They have no business with New Zealand and, in the cold light of day, they're just universities top heavy with ivory tower leeches who have nothing to say about what's going on in Zimbabwe, where there's real strife.

Harvard University is New Zealand's second largest forestry owner. Public policy in New Zealand is probably something they're above commenting on.

[BFPRufus]

Any idea what Helen's up to? Given the number of illegal immigrants in New Zealand and her leftist base I'm surprised she'd put this through.

Wouldn't be anything to do with Sydney - the Lebanese involved in the gang rapes, riots etc there are legal (and seem to be almost all 2nd gen immigrants).


My money's on it being 1 of 2 things :-
1) It's a favour for Australia (what NZ gets back I'm not sure). This would be a much bigger coup from John howard to plug the whole "boatpeople situation". [For Non-ANZers a major issue in the 2001 Australian election was refugess mainly from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq sailing to Australia in fishing boats from Indonesia - notmally 400 at a time).

2) It could be a setup for something far left to pass through. The last time I saw something like this was when Lange put through the nuclear free zone (far left), followed by user pays, privatisation, GST. This could be the same thing in reverse.

[shaggy eel]

,,, this legislation's been in the pipeline for quite a while. It will have instant backing from Winston Peters and the blue rinse set. It's designed to specifically drag in more votes from the centre and the right. Monopoly board players will have to hit other stops if they're pregnant - I suppose New Zealand can't be "community chest", is what they're saying.