The group, Iwi n Aus, took to the streets across five states on Wednesday to protest legislation which has disadvantaged many of the 600,000+ New Zealanders living Australia.

Founder Erina Anderson said the Australian government had flown under the radar for 13 years after amending immigration agreements between the two countries and it was time for New Zealanders to speak up.

Ms Anderson said the 2001 legislation was discriminatory and had left some people unfairly disadvantaged to the point of homelessness and mental illness.

"People are wondering why we are complaining – they think it is about getting the dole," she said.

"It is not about the dole, it is about accessing help and services. In cases of domestic violence, a woman born in New Zealand cannot access a women's shelter in Australia.

"If you are a Kiwi mum to children born to an Australian husband and you get divorced, and the kids are in your care, you can't get housing and the kids suffer. I've known families with Aussie kids that have ended up homeless and living in a car."

New Zealanders moving to Australia are not being told they can never become citizens, vote, get social security, access their superannuation in extreme hardship circumstances, work for the federal public service or join the armed forces, Ms Anderson said.

The Australian and New Zealand Governments have had arrangements in place since the 1920s allowing a free flow of people across the Tasman without the need for a visa. But changes in 2001 gave each country the right to determine access to social security benefits and to set residence and citizenship rules.

Ms Anderson said New Zealanders were being treated worse than asylum seekers, who once settled had rights, access to services and could apply to become citizens.

"It would be more humane not to let us in than let us live and work and pay taxes but treat us differently. They make good tax dollars out of us.

"It is different for Australians living in New Zealand. After one year they can vote without becoming a citizen, apply for residency at no cost and access student allowances after two years."

Australians can also join the armed forces, access emergency services - including refuges and shelters - and children born [to Australians] in New Zealand have rights under Kiwi laws from birth."

The school teacher, from Reynella in South Australia, said when she moved to Australia in 2007 with her husband and five children, she was unaware of the amendments which impeded access to fair migration pathways and social security support and services.

"I began researching the issue after I was denied access to assistance for the two Australian children I foster," she said.

"I wanted to research the issues I came across because I wanted to appeal some of the decisions, but what happened was I opened a can of worms."

Roxby Downs resident Teela Komene drove 580 kilometres on Wednesday to join the Iwi n Aus march at Glenelg in South Australia.

"We are an ex-army family who moved here in 2009 because we wanted a better quality of life. We didn't know about the laws until after we were here. I've been disadvantaged in the sense that I keep up with what is going on politically but can never have a say.

"Australia is home to me and I would be a citizen if I could. When we first moved out here we lived in Queensland and I volunteered with Meals on Wheels and at a food bank as I believe in giving back to the community."

Lisa Tansey made the trip from her home in Murray Bridge to protest in the hope of improving life for her children.

"I have been here 14 years and these laws affect some of my kids. I came over with my oldest child on November 21, 2000, so we aren't affected by the laws. But my husband and two other children followed in March 2001 and they are treated different to me."

Iwi n Aus aim to grow their movement in the next 12 months and plan a large protest across Australia in 2014 on the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli to show the broken relationship between the two countries.