Hon Iain Lees-Galloway

Minister for Immigration

Executive Wing 4.138

24 June 2020

Dear Hon Iain Lees-Galloway,

I’m writing to raise an issue with regards to your announcement on 12 June 2020 that the Government
was removing the need for partners and dependants of NZ citizens and residents to travel together to
return home when they have a relationship-based visa or are ordinarily resident in New Zealand.

As you’re obviously aware, Australian citizens do not require a visa to travel to New Zealand under
normal circumstances. This means there has been no requirement to apply for a relationship-based
visa. Under the changes recently introduced, Australians who are in a genuine and stable relationship
with a New Zealand citizen, but aren’t ordinarily resident in New Zealand, are still prevented from
travelling to New Zealand.

In meeting your objectives of “ensuring families can reunite”, it makes sense to allow for Australian
citizens to travel to New Zealand to reunite with their partner, obviously after establishing they are in
a genuine and stable relationship through the current border closure exception process. Requiring
them apply for a partnership-based visa will only add unnecessary strain on both partner and
Immigration New Zealand who will be required to process these visas.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Smith MP