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Dick of the Week – Damian Christie
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When will Labour promise to stop the flow of workers to Australia?

by Whaleoil on May 14, 2012

ᔥ NZ Herald

When you are in opposition you always promise to stop the flow of New Zealanders moving Australia. At about this stage in the electoral cycle Labour will start hammering on about all the Kiwis moving to Australia. they have certainly been using that approach in question time.

Thousands of New Zealanders – including many disillusioned immigrants – are looking for new jobs and new lives in Australia

Cue an ungagged David Cunliffe to start talking about how he doesn’t want to become a Skype grandparent.

The number of New Zealanders moving across the Tasman hit a record 53,000 in the year to February, but the unemployment rate at home and Australia’s new tax breaks that would make millions better off are tipped to lift that number.

Maybe David Shearer will find a grandmother in an airport somewhere to parade around in public talking about how New Zealand under National has gone backwards and how only Labour can stem the flow across the Tasman.

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  • Apolonia

    People moving to Oz are leaving blue Labour and red Labour but will end up with ginga Labour.
    At least Oz has an opposition with different policies e.g get rid of carbon taxes.

  • Alloytoo

    I hardly think we should getting into a bribing….er bidding war of tax breaks with a doomed Australian Labour government.

    • AngryTory

      Yeah because if we can’t beat Gillard how the FUCK will NZ complete with Aussie under Abbot! 

      (And anyone who thinks the Aussie Unions will last more than a week under Abbot will have another thing coming – probably at muzzle velocity out of a cop’s Glock!)

  • MS

    Labour will do the typical hypocritical outcry – given that the growth and wages there are driven by the mining industry. Also taxes breaks resultant from taxing the mining industry.

    They’ll forget that any attempts to open up more mines in NZ will will have Labour and the Greens becrying destruction of the environment, blah blah, blah, ruin of the clean green tourism sector – in which they prefer a low rate cafe worker wage over the wages of the international mining sector, etc.

    They’ll also forget to mention the wages are often offset by the cost of living as in the example below of $1800 per week in central queensland

    http://www.couriermail.com.au/life/homesproperty/mining-towns-rent-bonanza/story-e6frequ6-1226143039455
          

    • johnbronkhorst

      Yes they always compair the maximum wages with the minimum costs. The fact that to get both of these things at the same time, you have to live 1000′s of Km from your work and get FREE travel….Yeah, that’ll happen!!!!

      • Guest

        Was that sarcasm John or do you not understand that that is exactly how the mining industry works. FIFO

      • johnbronkhorst

        no guest they don’t. They would pay you to travel home, but you MUST live local to the mine while working. eg they would pay for you to travel to melbourne Friday and back on Sunday (ready to work monday) But you must be at the mine every weekday (if that is your shift.) You still have expenses while living during the week.

    • Berend de Boer

       MS, you know that the mining industry is only a tiny percentage of Australia’s GDP, and only employs a minuscule amount of people right?

      And when are we starting to mine here? Can’t do that under John Key. Under Labour policy Labout won’t attempt to change.

      • Alloytoo

        19% is hardly “Tiny Percentage”

      • MS

        as someone who regularly works in Aus – its not a tiny percentage, in addtion to the mining companies themselves theres’ the supporting infrastructure that’s being developed. You just need to transit through Perth airport in the morning to see how many people and companies are involved.

        As mentioned below outside those areas of WA and Qld there’s not so much opportunity

  • Gazzaw

    So 53000 went to Australia in the year to Feb - how many returned or was that a nett loss?

    As for the disillusioned immigrants – who cares? If they can’t make it here they will really struggle in Oz with far fewer safety nets.

    • Berend de Boer

       Gazzaw, if your country is going to compete and the presence of safety nets, you got a real problem.

      • Gazzaw

        I assume Berend that you are from SA & I certainly do not include immigrants from South Africa in my comments. NZ is the beneficiary of tens of thousands of good South Africans who in many areas form the core of essential services such as health. NZ’s big problem as you know are the immigrants that pour in here for the sole purpose of taking advantage of our safety nets or to secure NZ citizenship to give them back door entry into Australia.

    • AnonWgtn

      Remember you cannot get into Australia with a criminal record – sorry Trevor.

      • Ddduble

        When did that start….?  :-)

  • Blokeintakapuna

    Extreme hypocricy from the left alright – the left want the kind of wages the minerals and mining sector deliver – yet don’t want mining in NZ – then bemoan a lack of jobs…

    Aussie is a 2-speed economy – mining/resources booming – everything else flatlining – but that’s an inconvenient truth too hard for the left to swallow…

    I’ve got a load of truth for Jacinda to swallow – and it would certianly buck up her ideas!

    • Boss Hogg

      Using the words “Jacinda” and “Swallow” in the same sentence will get Greg M all excited – be careful !!

      • Rum

        Not to mention “load” Boss.

  • Dave

    Having lived there, and moved back, it is not all it seems at the moment.   Unemployment is high, Patriotic Aussie employers are naturally favoring their own citizens, and outside specialist and Mining/resource roles, the Job market remains tight over there.    People keep making comparisons to food prices, well, check out Coles Online http://www.coles.com.au   They are not that cheap, roughly the same as NZ overall.

    Housing in any of the major cities is at best unaffordable, and it’s tough re-establishing.    

    Whilst we are thinking of returning, mainly because our beautiful country is going to the Dogs through bludgers and our welfare state, there are issues there as well as outlined above.   It takes a tough and well planned person to make a go of it, and whilst we lived there, we helped several friends of friends who were in serious trouble, they had lost everything!   

    A cautionary note.  If your going, make sure you have some way of living for 6 months. 

    Aussie’s generally work bloody hard and HATE blunders, so that rules out a fair percentage of Kiwi’s.

    • Cadwallader

      Agreed. I suggest the 53000 is not totally comprised of “workers.” The number includes retirees and children. My personal experience indicates that there are “workers” heading this way from Australia. Also, try buying a decent home in a state capital, the stamp duty is the first of the problems.

  • ConwayCaptain

    I distribute for an Aus publisher.  He is based in Melb and he tells me that outside the mining states of WA and Qld things are tough.

    Shops are c;losing as is manufacturing and the Govt has promised 200 million to support the car industry.  People are buying imported cars and got the large Holdens/Fords.

    Apparently a parts supplier is on their uppers and coulod go under.

    It is not as green over the pond as people think.  Work in mining/gas OK or if you are a nurse/teacher etc who can get a Govt job but for the rest be very careful/

  • AnonWgtn

    Were in Sydney and Melbourne a few weeks ago, including over Easter, and the weather was good.
    There was little sign of economic boom in the city centres with manay smaller shops closed and minimum staff in the big stores – well they were correct as purchasers were not around. My wife, a well known spender, was unimpressed with the present prices.
    We believe that the supermarkets here are way superior to those we have visited over the years.
    Did not feel buoyant and people told us of similar woes to the economics here. Heads above water, but only just.
    At the current r/exchange it was very  expensive, and we have travelled there for many years – will think again in future.
    Look at the new Australian increased travel taxes – family of 4 now $280 – (single airfare from $170).

  • guest

    agree with above my brother has been in Brisbane now in Perth and struggling ever since he arrived two years ago, accomm in Perth is expensive and is now staying with relatives.
    moving to greener pastures? not so for him and many others.

  • Phar Lap

    The truth is moving to Australia.Maybe there was a time to go there.At the moment going over to that place to be all things to one,s family is a myth.Take SE Queensland for instance,things are so bad there that people are quitting that state. Sure if a well set up person with mining skills will probably do alright.Better to be single,rather than be responsible for a family left at home,in one of the Australian Citys.As for the outback,unless there is reasonable accomodation the whole so called adventure can be a nightmare.Also let us not forget in 2001 Helen Clark did a deal with the Australian Government,regarding NZs arriving there.The deal Kiwis were in fact made second class citizens,as per can’t vote ,can’t get disaster relief,etc,etc.Even though if a NZ is lucky enough to get decent employment,pay taxes,so on .In an emergency try and get Australian Govt
    assistance.The reply .,sorry mate you dont qualify. Surely it is time the lies about Australia were given some sunlight.Ps to think an Australian coming here is treated as a NZ without discrimination, and is on the same level playing field.

  • Landy

    Aussie is a great polishing-up experience, but — swings and roundabouts.

    “Los Angeles for Beginners”, they called Sydney a while back.  

    Bright young kiwis scuttled over there in droves and generally came back saying they’d rather raise a family in NZ.  

    Some top entertainment figures who were being largely ignored by our
    deficient “friend culture” TV and film structures really showed what
    they could do when they hit Aussie.   Aussie knew how to listen and
    watch and it hailed them as talents.

    Aussie locals however criticise their state-run schools.   Many scrimp and save to pay for private schools.

     

    Would-be emigres should adopt protective coloration.  

    Adaptive measures include lose the kiwi accent fast.   In popular
    Australian belief kiwis are not only bludgers but also criminals.

    Respect local thugs and make sure you don’t annoy strangers
    inadvertently.   One man visiting his family back here who adored
    Australia and its brash commercial atmosphere, reported it cost less
    than $5000 to get a person murdered in Australia, and if you shopped
    around you could maybe get it done for $1500.  

    Or local police – don’t annoy them either.  Plenty of police corruption has been shown up in investigations.

    Cadwallader notes there is stamp duty.  They also tax any capital gain
    on property when you sell it.  (As Labour says it will do here…)   And the tax rates can be nasty.
     

    • AngryTory

       kiwis are not only bludgers but also criminals

      And your problem with that fact is?

  • Timandtim

    I believe you need to break that number down 53000.
    Some have used NZ as a back door to get into Australia
    Some are double immigrants I.e. Immigrate here first then onto Australia when it doesn’t work out here.
    Some have been recruited
    Some we are better without here
    Some have families who have been there for ages
    Some are just short- term and will return

    Then shifting to Australia is faster on a plane that is to get from end of NZ to the other.

    Finally australia has an open door to NZers…that’s the other upside.

    Australia needs population growth to survive…NZ just need hard workers

    My calculation is that only 10% are really moving permanently … We wish them well

  • Mr_Blobby

    When will the Government (National) stop the flow of workers to Australia?
    There is nothing wrong with the NZ economy that a change in Government won’t fix.
    The surrender MonKeys have no idea what to do, except sell the family silver.
     

    • Alloytoo

      What would a bastard left wing coalition’s economic policies be?

  • AngryTory

    Once NZ finally embarks on real reform (stopping welfare from the DPB to the Dole to the Super, health & education)  then the flood of economic refuges from NZ to Aus will stop

    because Australia will slam the door shut

    In fact, that’s the test for any welfare reforms in NZ: if Australia still allows Kiwi immigrants, the cuts haven’t cut hard enough!

  • Le Sphincter

    Why do Le Travail have to do anything ?

    It was Le Nationale that promised it would close the gap, but instead its widened and the flow has accelerated.
    In reality the gap only occured under the Bolgers and Shipleys and their failed policies which are being repeated by Le magicien

    • johnbronkhorst

      BULL SHIT Le arsehole…..The gap widened dramatically under HELEN CLARKE. Check your numbers before opening your big mouth. NZ take home wage growth was on parity with Aus. during the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s……it started to fall behind post 2000.

  • Kosh103

    Hows this for a real thread topic -  When will National keep their promise and stop the gushing of kiwis to Oz?

    • Dave

      Kosh – its not as much of a problem then the PRESS make it out to be.   Jobs are very tight here, we are now recovering from the GFC, and the economy is improving, quick check, oh yeah, house prices are rising, and Real Estate agents are looking for agents again!!.   

      But, in Aussie, its only the mining states that are doing okay, Sydney, Melbourne is still Tanking, and Adelaide, well, its kept afloat by the Labour Backed Car industry.

      Besides, take a look at GC, there are some Kiwis that are simply better leaving for Aussie, and should be encouraged.    Better we export them.

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