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RNZ News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Kiwi pathway to Australian citizenship safe in upcoming election
New rules giving Kiwis living in Australia a pathway to citizenship look secure, regardless of who wins the upcoming Australian election. Despite some reservations at the time, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the four-year pathway to get citizenship. The Coalition has told news outlet AAP that they have no plans to change it. That's great news for many Kiwis like Eric Huang who moved to Sydney in 2023 to study law. He's wanting to make Australia his home, but prior to the change would have found it harder to get citizenship. Huang, who is studying law and working part time, says Australia offers better work and income opportunities. Although, he says the cost of living is biting in Australia, pointing out that when he came to Sydney, for example, bananas were $2 per kilo cheaper. He's following the election closely as he wants to live here long term and believes the Coalition offers the best policies. However, other Kiwis spoken to by RNZ worry about the Coalition winning. Carol Smail, who moved to Australia in 1980 from Invercargill and has dual citizenship, says she fears Opposition leader Peter Dutton could back track on the promise not to scrap the citizenship pathway for Kiwis. Smail says she is fearful because Dutton has promised to cut immigration by 100,000 people as a way of taking pressure off housing. She says that won't be easy to do and the Coalition may be forced to look at Kiwis who haven't got citizenship as a way of making up the numbers. Australian media AAP has reported that the Coalition has said it won't cut the citizenship pathway for New Zealanders. Smail votes in both countries and said one of the things that worries her is growing inequality and the prospects for indigenous Australians. She says the diminishing of First Nations people in Australia is quite shocking. Climate change is also something Smail feels isn't being taken seriously by the major parties in Australia. Both Smail and Huang, however, say while Australian has its problems, they are optimistic about Australia's future and believe it will continue to be a big draw card for Kiwis. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC Wins Legal Fight With Fired Presenter, But Case Details Claims He Faced 'Anti-Wokeism' Homophobia
EXCLUSIVE: The BBC has won the first round of a legal fight with a fired radio presenter, but was unsuccessful in efforts to stop the publication of an internal review detailing allegations of homophobia at one of the broadcaster's regional outposts. BBC Radio Cornwall presenter Jack Murley took legal action against his employer for wrongful dismissal last year. In the first part of his employment tribunal, Murley argued that the BBC discriminated against him for being gay and a representative of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). More from Deadline 'Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte Boards BBC's 'The Dream Lands' BBC Cuts Some Donald Trump Jokes From David Tennant's Opening BAFTA Remarks 'Derry Girls' Star Louisa Harland & Debi Mazar Cast In TV Adaptation Of Marian Keyes' 'The Walsh Sisters' The BBC argued that Murley broke social media rules with tweets that failed to be impartial about local radio job cuts and that fell below standards of taste and decency. The BBC also argued that Murley breached editorial rules by discussing job cuts on-air and making sexualized jokes during a segment on his Sunday afternoon show, titled 'Loosest Goose.' Employment Judge Smail was not persuaded by Murley's arguments and the first round of his case was dismissed. A second part of the tribunal, scheduled to take place in October, will deal with the events surrounding his ousting. In his ruling, Judge Smail concluded that the BBC 'did not seek to prevent' Murley from participating in trade union activities and agreed that the presenter broke social media rules by campaigning against local radio job cuts. Judge Smail also concluded that the disciplinary proceedings brought by the BBC against Murley were 'not related to his sexuality.' In a statement, the BBC said: 'We do not comment on individuals. We welcome the judgment of the tribunal and won't be commenting further.' Murley told Deadline: 'As the tribunal's judgment makes clear, the second part of my claim against the BBC is set to be considered later this year. As such, it would not be right to comment further at this stage. I'd like to thank the NUJ and my legal team for their continued support and hard work, and the public for their kind words and best wishes. They mean an awful lot.' Homophobia Whistleblowing Report As part of the legal proceedings, the BBC failed in its efforts to stop the publication of an internal investigation into allegations of homophobia at BBC Radio Cornwall. Murley filed a whistleblowing report accusing colleagues of homophobic abuse and claiming that management failed to protect him. The July 2024 report was disclosed despite the BBC arguing it was not relevant. The investigation partially upheld an allegation that 'failings at a managerial and institutional level in BBC Radio Cornwall created and sustained an environment in which homophobic abuse was implicitly or explicitly tolerated.' In its closing submission to the tribunal, the BBC admitted that the report detailed the 'regrettable treatment' of Murley, but argued that it was not evidence that managers treated him 'less favourably' because of his sexuality. Judge Smail's ruling contained more details about the report, which comprised 12 allegations made by Murley. BBC investigators concluded that there was a 'case to answer' on eight of Murley's 12 claims. One of the claims with a case to answer detailed how a BBC Radio Cornwall employee pinned to the office kitchen wall a Spectator article that was considered homophobic by managers and later removed. The 'anti-wokeism' op-ed in the right-wing magazine was headlined: 'Has Soviet self-censorship come to Britain?' Written by an Estonian who moved to the UK after living through the fall of Soviet rule, it claimed LGBTQ+ rights advocates have restricted free speech in the same way that the USSR strangled human liberties. It concluded with the line: 'So I find myself facing a dilemma: whether to pack up all of our belongings and move, perhaps back to Eastern Europe – to the Free East, where I don't have to sing to the red rainbow flags. Or correct my speech to avoid being detected by the KGB Trans Allies.' Other allegations considered to have merit by BBC investigators included Murley's claims a presenter made a 'homophobic joke' in the office and a camera operator made 'homophobic' remarks about an LGBT podcast and blood donation. While publishing these details, Judge Smail ultimately determined that the report was only of 'background interest' and was not relevant to the first part of the employment tribunal. Deadline has asked the BBC a series of questions about the whistleblowing report, including whether those accused of wrongdoing have faced disciplinary action. A spokesperson declined to comment. The corporation's diversity and inclusion policy states: 'The BBC is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruitment and employment and will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment in any form.' Disclosure of the report comes at a time when the BBC is undertaking a workplace culture review and employees are being questioned about their experiences of wrongdoing or abuses of power. The work is being led by management consultancy Change Associates and is expected to conclude this year. Best of Deadline 2025 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Spirits, Tonys, Guilds & More How To Watch Sunday's 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special' Online & On TV Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan's Next Film – 'The Odyssey': Release Date, Cast And More
