Sometimes you have to leave a place to see it as it really is
Welcome to the latest in our very popular Migrant Tales series – first hand accounts of migrant life in New Zealand.
Today’s tale was first published on Reddit, by a Kiwi who emigrated to Australia and then returned to New Zealand on a trip.
I moved to Australia in 2006 with my parents and at the time, I was about 17.
I umderstoof little about GST, minimum wage, cost of living. Growing up in Australia for 10 years now and taking a trip to NZ its easy to see why there is so much struggle. Now don’t get me wrong, NZ is HOME, and I enjoy being there… what I don’t enjoy is being gouged for every last penny I’ve got, especially when it comes to accomadation, groceries, eating out, and general costs of goods there. I recently stayed in Auckland and paid almost $200 AUD a night (which is practically the same as NZD now), for a subpar apartment, and then $30 a day for parking. I was outraged that there was paid parking and convinced the manager to at least give me free wifi with 2 other people that were staying with me.
Anyway, as much as I enjoyed my time there, going shopping for clothing, eating out or doing anything remotely fun costs so much money its a wonder why anyone would want to live there. Sure there is nice scenery and the air is fresh, but at the same time minimum wage is only $14-$15 an hour, housing costs almost the same as what it does on the Gold Coast on average (except far lower in quality), and its just so much less “busy” in terms of nightlife and things to do.
If you go there for a holiday, go prepared. Moving there is out of the question unless you want to lower your living standards and feel like getting gouged for retail items and pretty much everything else.
You may also be interested in this video
E2NZ.org 
When the apprenticeship programmes were alive and well in N.Z many well trained disciplined people left for Australia to the betterment of their own financial wellbeing and brought sought after skills to Australia.It seems a visa entry requirement would be a good thing for Australia and N.Zers wishing to move to Australia many kiwis seem to move to Australia without employment skills and without the funds to support themselves while seeking employement,some kiwis seem to just move there with the goal of becoming involved in gang crime ,this will be the demise of freedom of movement between our countries and will hurt N.Z .I knew of a young person involved in a senseless violent assault and various other crimes ,when he was supposed to appear in court turned out he’d just moved to Australia.the whole thing smarts of arrogance and entitlement,traits which are nurtured here in N.Z.
mcleodkiwitony/Mickle
As an Australian, I generally agree with your comments. Some, perhaps many, Kiwis seem to want it both ways, ie NZ as an independent country and at the same time to be a quasi state of Oz. The trans-Tasman migration agreement is a hare-brained idea and should be scrapped.
There is no reason why Kiwis should be entitled to special entry privileges into Australia. Despite all the recent Anzac hype, the two countries have not been historically close.
I think it may be more of a one sided relationship,if Australia closed its doors on N.Z this country would have absolutely no outlet for its frustrated underpaid citizens ,currently they can flee the country and assimilate in Australia without having to rock the unfair and corrupt status quo in N.Z
Don’t get me wrong it’s home. It’s not home though is it for all the reasons you have listed and a truckload more that l can think of. If NZ was your home you would of course live there…….but you don’t and it doesn’t sound like you have any intention to moving back just like the many hundreds of thousands of Kiwis that have moved to Australia to escape god zone. I look forward to when Australia slams the door shut on Kiwis and makes visa entry a requirement. New Zealand is an exporter of the unemployed full stop.