Campaign fails to lure NZers home

Last updated 22:52 07/09/2008

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The Government has binned its programme to lure Kiwis home from Australia after it was declared a failure.

An evaluation of the expat marketing programme, obtained under the Official Information Act, found the campaign launch in May 2006 received more media coverage in New Zealand than Australia.

"We propose to cease expatriate marketing activity in Australia as this has not proven to be effective."

The $1 million a year campaign appeared more successful in Britain, where it was launched in November 2005. It attracted 45,000 visits to the New Zealand Now website in the first month.

Evaluation of the programme concluded that New Zealanders were more integrated in Australia than in Britain and the lifestyle was not sufficiently different to be a selling point.

Neither campaign made any dent in the number of Kiwis leaving. In 2004, there was a net loss of 18,121 New Zealanders, as 25,069 expats returned and 43,190 left. By last year that net loss had almost doubled, to 32,676.

Despite the programme, fewer expats returned (22,969) and more emigrated (55,645). The evaluation also recommended ditching a video-conferencing interviewing setup in London, as few employers had made use of it.

The Labour Department conceded some areas of the campaign did not achieve expectations and confirmed the Australian efforts had been abandoned. The programme has been expanded to both potential migrants and expats in Europe and the United States.

The department has no other plans to encourage expat Kiwis home from Australia, despite a record net 31,900 Kiwis crossing the Tasman in the year till June.

Employers and Manufacturers Association chief executive Alasdair Thompson said the growing exodus of skilled workers was a huge concern to employers. However, he was not surprised the Australian campaign had not worked, as most Kiwis in Australia earned about 30 per cent more with a comparable lifestyle, if not better.

His son-in-law, a roading engineer, was offered a job in Australia for almost double the money, with regular, paid two-week trips home.

Mr Thompson hoped planned tax cuts would improve the situation.

However, the Government also needed to decide the ideal population size and mix and develop policies to achieve that, such as supporting couples to have children at a younger age.

Latest figures on the wage gap issued last week revealed that Kiwi workers are getting paid half as much as their Aussie counterparts.

In Australia, the average weekly wage is A$1131.40 (NZ$1398), compared with New Zealand's average weekly wage of just over $886.

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National Party finance spokesman Bill English said tax cuts were needed in order to "compete" with Australia in "a war over our talent".

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Anal First Free Sex Video #78 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Zadit #77 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

New Zealand wants to become a state of Australia and enjoy the benifits. I moved in OZ 14 years ago and slowly all my family came over. Tell me where can a 68 year old get work in New Zealand Sorry your too old as they close the door. I work 2 jobs and love it Thanks Australia .... Love it here ....

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Bruce #75 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Hi, I heard about this campaign on the way to work. Why would the Australian News publish anything that would entice (kidding) NZers back to NZ and take away good employees that are in Australia to make money as NZ cannot give them what they need to make a start in life. This is my 2nd trip to Australia and I am staying here as I could not afford to live in NZ on $17 an hour and I was like other people my age finding it very hard to find a job. Sure I pay a heap of tax over here and complain about the price of fuel and food but NZ is my home and the best place in the world for a vacation. But I wouldn't want to try and live there until I retire.

Lindsay #74 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Once again I left in Feb as the offer was to good to turn down. I also agree with Tim above why hang around and constantly be bullied by a PC govt. Indirectly the tax rates are constantly rising, one way or another. The education system here is way ahead of what we had in NZ, and thats coming from a decile 9 school in NZ! This is the land of opportunities for everyone and the great lifestyle to go with it.

NZ has a bounty of minerals and resources available, like everything else in NZ the desicision makers sit on there hands while the country slips further in to the myer. I haven't seen this campaign running either! In typical NZ govt style they will now spend another mil debating why it has failed.

One thing I admire about the state and national govts here, they make decisions & get on with the job in hand.This could well be the key to Auzzies succes as well!

I would certainly encourage those considering the move, to get on over here.

Steve from Brisbane #73 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

We live on a magnificent Island just north of Brisbane and it has been our home for the last 6 years. We just love it and cannot see any reason why we should return to NZ. We get paid more, have lower taxes, have Medicare, better climate, etc, etc.

As for the get Ex-pats home campaign, we have only heard about it through NZ web sites and on trips back to NZ - there has been zero publicity in our part of OZ. No wonder it was a flop. The NZ government even know where we live thanks to the NZ election roll system as we are still on it with our OZ address. Not even a come home letter that would have been more effective than anything else that they have done.

I am going to enjoy today again, I am in shorts and tee shirt at 630am, blue sky, no clouds and an expected high of 26 with low humidity - perfect.

Dave Gomez #72 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

NZ is becoming the new 'Old Ireland.' You need a pro-business, pro-investment government. Keep with the same-old-same-old and enjoy your stagnation!

Greg Munro #71 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I returned to NZ in Sept 2007 having spent 6 years in the UK. My IT security skills are exceptionally well regarded in europe as I designed security systems for mobile operators and very large organisations. Unfortunately after 12 months of trying to find any IT job in New Zealand, last week I packed up the caravan and moved back to the UK. I was told that I was overqualified, had too much experience and that I would get bored with the work that was available.

New Zealand attitudes to skilled employees belong in the dark ages. Its no wonder that large percentage of NZ's graduates no longer live in Godzone.

computer nerd in japan #70 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

lol. i went to www.newzealandnow.govt.nz to see what help might be available to someone to relocate [back] to nz. i typed "relocation" into the search box and got no hits.

Nigel #69 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Hardly surprising. I'm an expat Kiwi living in Canada and coming back to visit NZ regularly. NZ can't compete on salaries, job,s health and education and as far as standard of living goes, Toronto, the 8th largest city in North America, is by far a safer place to walk around at 1am in the morning than any NZ city. And the price of housing is rediculous, higher on average that in Toronto. I'd love to move back but not to take a drop in my standard of living, experience sub-standard healthcare and see my kids education suffer. Here in Toronto at least, the kids are about a year in advance of their NZ counterparts and, dare I say it, the education system is way more challenging. Enough said...

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