Children of Indigenous Australians as well as New Zealander Māori background born overseas can be denied citizenship, as the current laws do not account for tribal connections.
Recently the issue came to light in New Zealand, when a newly naturalised citizen’s children were classed as illegal as they were born in the United States. The father is born in Australia and has Maori descent on his mother’s side.
So should a new citizenship category be considered for Indigenous children born overseas?
Image: Image Credit: Paul Gilbert / Mombas via Wikimedia Commons
Produced By: Toni Pankaluic
Featured In Story: Dr Sarah-Kay Coulter – Lecturer of Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne
First aired on The Wire, Tuesday 18 November 2025