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Monday, May 1, 2023

Mike Hosking: Why aren't people flocking to New Zealand?


Can I ask why Australia's migrant intake this year will be a record 400,000 when ours won't be?

I mean, I know the answer. But it is worth asking, especially if you are interested in us as a country getting on with life and, in general, achieving any real level of success.

I gave you the numbers last week in regards to Australia long term - by the end of the decade millions more will have arrived. Each year is looking to break records. Australia is hot.

It's an astonishing story of success.

We know more and more post covid every day, we know the world is short of labour, we know it’s a competition to get that talent into your country and we know our numbers are starting to rise, but to nowhere near the level they once were.

Part of that is deliberate. The Government didn’t want people coming here. It was not just idiotic - it was a glaring mistake and a mistake they have lately had to be dragged kicking and screaming to try and rectify.

But as the rules were changed, a new reality slapped us - why weren't the numbers booming? Was reputation now at play?

I think the answer, if you look at Australia, might be yes.

It is impossible to believe Australia has record numbers and we don’t, given we are in the same part of the world and offer, broadly, the same sort of lifestyle.

The specifics are the key.

The number of jobs, the sort of jobs, the pay, the rules of engagement and of course the state of the economy, considering their economy is starting to leave ours in the dust, all matter when choosing a country.

Immigration drives growth and investment and jobs and diversity.

Our hermit kingdom approach is now being shown to be costing us a fortune.

The world is a smorgasbord for those who relish new chances, new jobs, new lives and new futures.

It's possible we will get 40,000 through our doors this year. Australia gets 400,000.

Who do you reckon wins that game?

Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.

6 comments:

DeeM said...

Do we need 400,000 though, Mike?
Our population is about 20% of Australia.
Surely, you only take the number you need. What is that?

Probably more than 40,000 judging by the number of people sitting around on JobSeeker benefit but not interested in working.
But where will they live, with our critical housing shortage?
This won't be fixed any time soon.

Anonymous said...


What sane person would immigrate to a near-bankrupt economy with:

ever rising taxes
levelled-down opportunities for social advancement
an Orwellian obsession with the woke culture
apparent agreement to cede authority (via veto power) to a 17% minority so 83% are second-class citizens?
a docile Opposition in Parliament



Anonymous said...

Just got back from a break in Aussie. Could not believe how vibrant it was. There is just so much more going on and that is a direct result of more people.
Having small minded hermit kingdom thinking is what’s holding us back.
Where will they live, what about the roads, is there enough jobs ….. etc, etc.
Just get it done. If Kiwis can’t do it, get the Chinese in, they don’t stuff about. Build it and move on.

Peter Ness said...

I like the sentence, “ the World is a Smorgasbord for those who relish new chances, new jobs…”
And there is the essence of immigration, opportunity!
Australia have tonnes and NZ , not so much.
If you’re going to change countries best make it a good change or you will be upping sticks and moving on.
Hence the revolving door of 16,400 NZ citizens leaving and 49,500 non citizens arriving in 2022.

Anonymous said...

Bear in mind that NZ is even more limp than it looks - banks, oil companies, insurers and other major corporates are off shored owned and, subject to nominal compliance with law, are off shore controlled. So actually no real career opportunities in NZ anyway. At best NZ is about being a lackey employee or the hit and miss of small business and self employment for most people. The wealthy by and large, would be unlikely to have made their fortunes in NZ. Or would have made their fortunes by selling their NZ business (presumably with manufacturing in China or the like) to offshore buyers. Whatever it is, offshore interests control much more of NZ business than the branding and facades may suggest.

TJS said...

The place is a hot mess and quite frankly who'd blame them if they go. What this goberent has done to this country is absolutely disgusting. There's no remorse or reflection on their part, just skiving off themselves to greener pastures so why should anyone else stay? Everyone was sooo super excited When they got Cindy in they couldn't contain themselves, now look.

We packed up sticks, left in the dark of night with hardly a word. If you don't elect yourselves out of this hot mess you're gonna be in for one hell of a bumpy show ride. Do everything you can man to stop the death.