Kiwis Waltz matilda
Was it the nationalism unleashed by the centenary of Federation? Or Australia's February move to New Zealand arrivals wait two years before they can claim socia-security benefits？Whatever the reason， a soaring number of Australia's 460,000 expat Kiwis are taking up citizenship. In the six months to June,10,279 applied-127% more than in the same period last year.
Advertising executive Jody Cursons， 26， who took the oath in February， says she saw the new rules as a sign of things to come：‘ It might become as hard for me to work here as it is in the U.K.’Her friend Caroline Bennet， 28， wants to be sure that ‘if I have children in New Zealand ’they will be Australian citizens. Teacher Colin Cousens，34， says his plans to become an Aussie owe less to rule changes than to ‘Federation and the TV ads[promoting citizenship.’After 18 years in Australia， gallery owner Kester Macfarlane，58， says he feels ‘a bit obliged ’to formally join Australia's ‘wonderful multicultural mix.’He won't give up his New Zealand passport，though-it represents‘family, where I'm from，’he says. Kiwis fly，but not that far.
【TIME JULY 23,2001】 |
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