Do New Zealand citizens have the same property-buying rights in Australia as Australian PR holders?

1. When New Zealand citizens purchase a home to live in within Australia, they are treated under the same policies as Australian citizens and permanent residents. There is no need to lodge a FIRB application or pay an application fee, they may purchase either a new or an established property, and no overseas buyer stamp duty surcharge is payable. The condition is that the purchaser must be physically within Australia at the time of signing.

2. The situation differs if the purchase is an investment property. If the purchaser is already in Australia at the time of signing, has activated a 444 visa and obtained an SCV, then they are likewise exempt from the FIRB application and the surcharge stamp duty, and may purchase either a new or an established property.

3. If the Queensland Commissioner of State Revenue considers, based on the evidence available to them, that the person entered Australia for the purpose of acquiring a Special Category Visa in order to avoid paying AFAD, then AFAD will still apply.

This article refers to the official Australian Government websites:

https://foreigninvestment.gov.au/getting-started/investment-information/residential

https://qro.qld.gov.au/duties/investors/afad/foreign-persons/