University loan help for Kiwis

While some New Zealanders who call Australia home are being deported, others are to be helped with higher education loans.

Legislation introduced to federal parliament on Thursday will allow some NZ citizens access to the Higher Education Loan Program.

Vocational Education and Skills Minister Luke Hartsuyker says the measure will help NZ citizens who first came to Australia as children and have lived here for at least 10 years the same support as Australians to go to university or TAFE.

Mr Hartsuyker said that, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced during his visit to NZ last weekend, the change honoured a long-standing commitment to "our Kiwi family".

During Mr Turnbull's visit, Australia was criticised for deporting New Zealanders who had lived most of their lives in Australia and had been convicted of serious crimes.

Mr Hartsuyker said that if the bill was passed this year, about 2600 New Zealanders were expected to be eligible for loans to help them study in 2016.