- Published:
- Tuesday, 28 March 2023 at 5:05 pm
A new fact sheet about citizenship, young people and the law will help young people of Māori or Pacific Islander background to know if they are Australian citizens.
Many Pasifika young people are actually Australian citizens but don’t know this, meaning they are missing out on their rights.
These include the right to vote, apply for study loans and receive support payments for jobseeking or disability.
The fact sheet includes:
- how to know if you are a citizen
- how to prove this status
- your rights
- information about Centrelink
- information about key organisations that can offer support.
If you are of Māori or Pacific Islander background, there are two ways you can be an Australian citizen:
- from birth – if one or both of your parents were Australian citizens or permanent residents when you were born
- from your 10th birthday – if you were born on or after 20 August 1986 and lived in Australia until you turned 10.
Phill Start, program manager from Centre for Multicultural Youth - Le Mana Pasifika (CMY – Le Mana) says that the Pasifika community has had trouble getting the right information about young people's citizenship status for many years.
‘Young people of Māori and Pacific Islander backgrounds have been told by support services that they are not eligible for benefits like study loans, because of the frequently mistaken belief that they are not Australian citizens.
‘Young people usually accept this advice and don't investigate further. Incorrect advice can lead to missing out on loans and payments which could have allowed them to go on to study.’
Mark Tregonning from our Community Legal Education team says they were pleased to work with Phill and the team from CMY Le Mana to develop the fact sheet
‘We have created this new fact sheet so that young people have the right information to make important life decisions,’ says Mark.
The fact sheet was launched at an event hosted by CMY Le Mana and Brimbank City Council on Tuesday 21 March.
Read, download or share our new resource: Citizenship, young people and the law.
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