Quade Cooper has finally become an Australian citizen at a ceremony on Thursday after five years of trying.
The New Zealand-born Wallabies flyhalf has played 75 Test matches for Australia but was refused citizenship four times due to issues over the time he spent outside the country due to rugby playing commitments.
The Australian government changed eligibility rules last year to allow for “distinguished applicants” to get easier access to citizenship.
“After five years, five attempts, 75 Test matches and a lot of help from the community and many people behind the scenes, I can finally say I’m Australian,” Cooper wrote on Twitter.
“To my immigration officer Sarah Lolesio thank (you) for your efforts and countless hours of work. Grateful.”
Previously, Cooper’s touring schedule and stints with overseas clubs had made it impossibly to satisfy the criteria, which required applicants to have lived in Australia for the past four years and not been absent for more than 12 months, or been overseas for greater than 90 days during the application year.
However, immigration minister Alex Hawke implemented the rule change last year, saying: “Exceptional people must not be prevented from becoming Australians because of the unique demands of the very work they do that makes them exceptional.”
‘Exceptional’ certainly describes Cooper, the veteran taking his Wallabies caps to 75 with an outstanding 2021, including a pair of sensational performances in back-to-back upset wins over the Springboks.
Cooper was born in Auckland but moved to Australia at the age of 13. Twenty years on, his wait for citizenship is finally over.
Last September he said the stress of not being able to offically become an Australian was weighing him down.
“This is a place my family and I’ve lived for over 20 years. So to not know if I was going to be able to come back to my home, or come back and see my family, that was quite a daunting feeling when you’re living in Japan. That for me was the main reason of applying for my citizenship.”
Gman
Roar Rookie
I'm glad for him, it has been a long road for him and at times he has had to bounce back which just added to a worthy person for citizenship 5 times, so he has been trying, in and out of the country playing elsewhere, would had been the problem of no continuity. I think some Kiwi's have a problem of not doing something after spending the majority of their time here and consider they are still Kiwi's which is ok, but the rules are there.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Only team to defend their title, three RWCs. Sure the only we do is choke. :stoked:
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
I just read the awful news about Va'aiga Tuigamala. Gone way way way too soon. A charismatic player and an enormous legacy. Vale, Inga.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
So many chokes. So so many. Last world cup, for example. And in 2011 you beat (robbed) France by one point. ONE. POINT! My missus shut all the windows and the doors in the house because, and I still dispute this, I was shouting at the TV so "loudly". Well what's the point of having a TV if not to shout at it?
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Had to check . Born in Aus and at least Wikipedia has him as an Australian citizen ...maybe some Kiwis here can enlighten me ?
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
I was recently told that Tawera Kerr-Barlow was born in Oz.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure I understand your response. In simpler terms I personally think if an individual any sport gets legitimately selected for a country they should be a bona fide citizen . Either through birth or naturalization . A decade or so ago The Beast Was selected for South Africa but his selection was rejected by the govt as he did not have SA citizenship . He was Zimbabwean . He did subsequently get fast tracked which caused of course its own controversy . A bit like QC here . But surely if a player is not a citizen of that country how on earth can he represent them on a sports field .
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Don’t really need it when all the facts say that was the case and none contradict it.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Not sure about that. What do you base that on? He applied 5 times between 2017 and 2021. He was living in Australia between 2016 and 2019. It’s unlikely that that he would have been able to make 5 applications for citizenship between late 2019 and mid 2021 (when he was in Japan) - they take many months to process.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
I do not want an argument, but do you have intimate knowledge about the Federal Government’s decision?
Tim J
Roar Rookie
PW, remember since 1987 New Zealanders felt the same. Plus the insults of being called chokers until 2011. Things will change if RA want it to!
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Not so much as an assumption as it is a reasoned conclusion based on an observation of recorded events and an intimate knowledge of the subject matter gained from years of professional experience in the area. There is literally nothing that suggests otherwise.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Pfftt like we could remember what it's like to win a World Cup. I just hope Aussie Quade can bring it home.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Congrats Quade. You've joined a small but elite club
Bartz
Roar Rookie
It’s a two way arrangement that has benefited both countries immensely. Unfortunately, in the last couple of decades Australia has gradually treated NZers here far worse than NZ treats Australians. It is pathetic that Australia is happy to grab as many NZ & Pacific Island people as possible and stick a yellow jumper on them so we can feel better about ourselves because of our “Aussie” football team, when we make it so hard for them to actually become Australian citizens. Happy to have them live here for decades - take their taxes, pretend they’re Australian if they win is some footy games or have a hit single or win an Oscar - but also happy to deny them the same supports as others & kick them out if they get nicked shoplifting after living here for decades even if they’ve raised a family. It’d be a disgrace even without the hypocrisy of cheering on “Aussies” who win us games when we make it so hard for them to become Aussies.
Bartz
Roar Rookie
It’s outrageous how hard it is for many people to be able to gain citizenship - especially New Zealanders. It’s not Quade’s fault though. The guy moved here over 20 years ago & first played a test for Australia in 2008. It’s pathetic how happy Australians are to have Pacific Islanders & NZers play as “Australians” if it can win us some footy games, but still make it so hard for them to become Australians. The same applies for so many other migrants who we are also happy to make use of & get advantage from, while keeping them as non-citizens for longer and longer.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
:thumbup:
Deport Him!
Guest
So, does the records that Australia won matches with Quade in the team get altered as he was not an Australian citizen?
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Unless you have inside knowledge about why the decision was made, it is an assumption. We will never know if it was QC with his situation that forced their hand.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
DA, you are right but I was saying that beating the ABs should not be more important than winning the RWC.