A researcher surveying Maori immigrants in Australia says the Federal Government is unlikely to change laws that restrict New Zealanders' access to government benefits.
In 2001 Australia's Howard government introduced legislation to limit New Zealanders getting social welfare benefits and emergency financial relief in disaster situations.
Paul Hamer from Te Kawa a Maui (School of Maori Studies) at Victoria University says the subject will be a sensitive one in Australia in election year.
Mr Hamer says Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's advisors have been suggesting there should be a waiting period of up to eight years before New Zealanders are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.
But he says eight years is far too long and he suggests instead that five years of working and living in Australia would be enough time to then be eligible for permanent residence and it should be available as of right.
Mr Hamer says if Tony Abbott becomes prime minister after the September elections the chances are the laws will not change, because it was his party that made the changes in 2001.
And he says if Labor stays in power there could be a remote possibility of the laws changing.
