Some Kiwis in Australia are turning to food banks after being left out of the government’s coronavirus support package.
New Zealander Kayla Urwin, who has called Australia's Gold Coast home for the past seven years, has lost her job and is now working from home to survive.
But like thousands of other New Zealanders who lives in the country, she does not qualify for support during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Unfortunately, we're not able to be on Jobkeeper, Jobseeker. We were able to access our Super - that's all we could do, but that was our last resort."
Kiwi Craig Farquharson moved to Melbourne five years ago.
He has been homeless since October after his employment as a labourer ended last year when he became sick and he didn't qualify for government help.
The economic downturn from Covid-19 has hit New Zealanders in Australia hard, and Iwi in Australia say many have exhausted all avenues for help.
“So we've given them the alternative that you need to return back to New Zealand. We don't know where to go forward with this,” Ms Kumar said.
The Australian government has offered lockdown-hit workers $1500 a fortnight, but those who have not been in their current job for one year - around 1.1 million people - have missed out.
Human rights lawyer and advocate Greg Barns says it’s dividing society and increasing the risk of harm and injury.
"There are human rights issues in relation to, more broadly, people's right to housing or right to food, to shelter and health, and to divide our society in the way it's been done does increase the risk of injury and harm happening to those individuals,” Mr Barns said.
Kiwis are seeking help first from Australian PM Scott Morrison, then his counterpart Jacinda Ardern.
“There are 650,000 Kiwis over here all over Australia, you know, Imagine if we all turned up back home,” he said.
The New Zealand Government has been pushing for Australia to change its rules without success.
Mr Farquharson is committed to staying in Australia for now with the help of family and friends.
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