RTUB, I didn’t write the post. I copied ‘Wiley’s’ post from the ‘Will SQ still get AN?’ thread. However, it backed up something I’d heard about myself.
I understand that the lurk was, (at least twenty years ago, it was a well known lurk for Kiwi mums of a certain social stratum), to come to Oz to have the bub and then trip back and forth between the two countries for the next few years milking both social service departments for all they could get. On the Western side of the Tasman, they had the right to claim all the handouts because the child was born there. On the Eastern side, they could claim to be citizens - (and visit Mum while picking up their Kiwi cheque).
I had a friend who worked in the department in Melbourne in the late 70’s – early 80’s and she said it was a well known scam that, at the time, they couldn’t do very much about. I can only hope the loophole has been closed now. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it hasn’t.