68 days ago

Why so many New Zealanders are moving to Australia

Brian from Mount Roskill

We caught up with people who made the move to Australia to ask how they've found it – and whether anything would make them come home.
Steve* had heard the stories. He knew many New Zealanders were taking the plunge and heading across the Tasman. Still, the publicist and musician was sceptical about how good moving to Australia really could be. "I was definitely nervous," he says.
In May, Steve and his fiancée packed up their things, left Tāmaki Makaurau and made the move to Melbourne. Five months on, they have no regrets. "I'm almost having to stop myself becoming an Australian evangelist," he says. "It is so, so good."
They didn't know it at the time, but the couple have become part of a mass exodus, as record-breaking numbers of New Zealanders leave Aotearoa in search of more money, better opportunities and improved lifestyles overseas.
For Steve, he says almost everything he'd heard from others making the same move has come true. "It's awesome," he says. "I have no regrets."
'It’s day and night'
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A Consumer NZ investigation, published in May 2024, asked New Zealanders from all walks of life living in Australia how they had found their move. They told us they were enjoying cheaper property prices and rent, reduced living expenses, including cheaper food, transport and energy costs, and higher wages. Statistics backed this up.
Steve says he's already reaping the benefits of a much cheaper lifestyle, especially when it comes to food. "It's day and night," he says. "We've got this amazing Greek supermarket and we fill up two massive bags of fresh produce and it will be A$20 (NZ$22) ... Halloumi is crazy cheap."
The pair have found their transport costs have gone down too. With two trams and a bus stop near their home in Thornbury, just a short ride outside of Melbourne's central city, they have no need for a car. "You can get anywhere you need to go really easily," he says. "You can tram anywhere you need to go."
The only downside they’ve experienced is the demand for rental properties. While looking for their two-bedroom apartment (which costs them $A550, or NZ$605, a week), they attended open homes with queues of up to 30 people.
Other than that, the move has been entirely positive. Steve’s partner has been able to advance her career, and he’s enjoying more opportunities for his musical ambitions.
What the statistics say
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According to new data from Stats NZ, more people are leaving Aotearoa than ever before. Between August 2023 and 2024, 134,300 residents left the country, which is “provisionally, the highest on record for an annual period”.
The latest provisional statistics on those moving to Australia also remain high, with 28,600 New Zealanders departing for Aus between March 2023 and March 2024.
Why are they going? In May, Consumer spoke to Johanna Smith, who runs the website movingtoaustralia.com. She blames the exodus on variables people have always left Aotearoa for: a search for higher wages, a lower cost of living and more affordable homes.
“You've always been able to afford to buy a home in Australia, and that has not been a reality for the majority of New Zealanders for years,” she said. “Now that the food and the petrol is so high as well, it has definitely made people think, 'Oh flip, maybe I should actually do it.'”
Consumer’s Sentiment Tracker survey data from July backs that up. When asked how confident they were in our economy over the next 12 months, 39% of respondents reported feeling “pessimistic” or “very pessimistic”, while only 26% were optimistic.
Another 37% anticipated their savings would decline in the following year , while only 27% believed their savings would increase. And, 31% reported their standard of living had declined, while just 18% thought their standard of living had improved.
What about those we spoke to last time?
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In New Plymouth, Jose Litre, along with his wife Julieta, their son and their dog Rollie had struggled to save for a trip back home to Argentina, despite earning good salaries. So, 2 years ago, they moved into a near-new four-bedroom home in South Australia that cost them A$500,000 (NZ$551,888)
When Consumer catches up with Litre, he’s in Argentina, finally making his first post-Covid trip back home. Their circumstances have changed: his wife is studying after losing her job, but Litre says they’re still able to live comfortably on his income.
“We're very happy with our decision,” he says. “Our son is excelling at school, which is just a 15-minute bike ride from our home. The area we live in, about 30 minutes north of Adelaide, is growing rapidly with new homes and businesses being developed. The economy seems to be booming here – shopping centres are busy, and people continue to spend despite the rising cost of living and interest rates.”
Litre’s colleagues share stories about how hard it is to find a rental property, backing up Steve’s claim that demand is high. And he says the cost of living has increased over the 2 years they’ve been in Australia. “Overall, our circumstances are good, but I don’t want to give the impression that everything is perfect,” he says.
When Consumer last spoke to Amy Potter, she’d just lost her job in Australia as a publicist for a video game company . At the time, she admits a conversation came up about moving back to Aotearoa. It was quickly nixed. “At the end of the day I have bought a house, and now have a dog too, here in Australia and it would not be a good time to sell with the market and economy where it is.”
She also wanted to stay working in the video game industry. “There were still 10-times the opportunities in Australia than I was seeing listed in New Zealand in my industry,” she says. “The scale of Australia is just more conducive to opportunities than New Zealand within the video games space.”
Potter soon found a new job, working for New Zealand-based game asset publisher Synty Studios. The company lets her work from Sydney, and she’s very happy with her decision to stay.
Smith says that’s a new trend she’s noticed over the past few months, with New Zealanders taking their jobs with them when they move to Australia. “I’m definitely still busy [with inquiries],” Smith says. “I'm getting more enquiries from visitors who are planning on moving to Australia while continuing to work for their New Zealand employer.”
‘We're definitely here for good’
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In Melbourne, Steve says their move has been so successful he’s about to make it permanent. He’s considering applying for residency, and “closing my New Zealand bank account”. He says, “We’re definitely here for good.”
But there’s one thing he does miss, something that many who have made the move say: his friends and family. A recent visit from his parents helped soften the blow, and he and his partner will return to Aotearoa in January for their wedding.
“If I didn't have that thing coming up that would feel more distant and more sad,” he says.
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More messages from your neighbours
19 hours ago

Best way to use leftovers?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.

What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.

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1 day ago

Te Pūrākau o Te Rangatira Ngākau Hūmarie - Day 34

Kiran Reddy from Mount Eden

The Tale of the Humble Leader

In a small Māori village near the coast of Aotearoa, the whānau were preparing for Te Rā o te Kirihimete (Christmas Day). It was a time of celebration, sharing, and remembering the values of aroha (love), manaakitanga (hospitality), and kotahitanga (unity). However, this year, the village faced a challenge. Their rangatira, Wiremu, had grown distant and prideful, burdened by his position.

Wiremu often made decisions alone, thinking that his wisdom and authority were enough to guide the iwi. While the villagers respected him, they felt unheard, and the spirit of unity began to fade.

As the Kirihimete celebrations approached, the kaumātua, Hinewai, decided to intervene. She invited Wiremu to the marae one evening, where she shared a story about Tāwhaki, the demigod who ascended to the heavens not through power, but through humility and service.

“Wiremu,” Hinewai said, “even the greatest leaders are at their strongest when they serve their people. Leadership is not about standing above others but walking beside them.”

Wiremu reflected on her words but was unsure how to change.

The Lesson of the Whetū (Stars)

On Christmas Eve, as the village prepared for their festivities, a fierce storm rolled in from the sea. The winds howled, and the rain poured, threatening to ruin the celebration. The central whare kai (dining hall) began to leak, and the decorations the tamariki had made were soaked. The people gathered anxiously, unsure of how to proceed.

Wiremu stood at the edge of the marae, looking at the chaos. In that moment, Hinewai’s words echoed in his mind: “Even the greatest leaders serve their people.”

Without hesitation, Wiremu took off his korowai (cloak of leadership) and joined the villagers. He grabbed buckets to catch the rain, helped rebuild the decorations, and reassured the tamariki that their work would be restored. His humility inspired others, and soon the entire iwi was working together, laughing and singing as they prepared the whare for the celebration.

A Kirihimete Under the Stars

When the storm cleared, the sky was filled with bright whetū (stars). The villagers gathered around a glowing fire outside the whare, sharing kai and stories of gratitude. Wiremu stood among them, no longer as a distant rangatira, but as a friend and servant of his people.

Under the starlit sky, Hinewai stood and addressed the iwi.

“This Kirihimete, we are reminded that true leadership is like the brightest whetū. It does not shine to outdo others but guides them through darkness. Wiremu has shown us the power of humility, and through his service, we have rediscovered our unity.”

Wiremu bowed his head humbly. “Tonight, you have all taught me that a leader is nothing without their people. Let us carry this spirit of kotahitanga and aroha into the new year.”

The villagers cheered, and the spirit of Te Rā o te Kirihimete shone brightly in their hearts.

Moral of the Story:

Leadership is not about authority or pride but about humility and service. Like the whetū that guide travelers, a true leader walks alongside their people, bringing light and unity through service and aroha. At Christmas, we are reminded of the importance of giving, humility, and leading with love.

16 days ago

⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️

The Team from SPCA New Zealand

It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:

👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️

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