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Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Heather du Plessis-Allan: This country needs a change to stop people from leaving

I don’t think it’s going to surprise you to hear the huge numbers of Kiwi workers thinking about moving to Australia- it's a third of us. 

Researchers from Massey and Otago Universities asked workers if they would consider moving to Australia. 10 percent said yes, and 26 percent said maybe.

Now, thinking about it and doing it are two different things. But I’ve never had this many  conversations personally with people wanting to leave.

A woman in my family said she’s considering leaving when she retires; she’s in her late 60s. That’s a big call for someone in their 60s.

I met a couple while I was on holiday in Fiji last month, he was an investment banker living in Herne Bay in Auckland, so good life here- he’s thinking of leaving, I think to Australia.

Another couple I met on holiday who have a baby are leaving to go to Australia once he finishes his medical studies.

One of my producers just left on Friday, going to Canada. Another staff member here quit today, going to Canada. 

And my sister just told me she and her husband and baby are off to Australia, they’ve signed all the documents.

It's one thing if the young, single ones are leaving.  We expect that, it’s a rite of passage. 

It's quite another thing to hear this many married couples with kids or even near retirees who own homes and have successful careers uprooting their families and their established lives to go somewhere else 

And often, not always, but often they will give you the same reason for leaving:  

They don’t like what’s happening to the country, and they can’t bear the thought of another three years of New Zealand going backwards under Labour.

Today’s Roy Morgan poll tells you the same story. 60 percent of respondents say the country’s going in the wrong direction. Only 29 percent say the right direction. That’s a record low for Roy Morgan. 

This election’s important. We need a change of Government to stop the tide of people packing up and leaving.

But we also need the next Government to truly change the country's fortunesNational, if they get in, cannot tinker. They cannot fool themselves that a bit of change is enough and they can otherwise hold the status quo.

If they do that, voters will see through it and the number of people leaving will pick up again.

Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show.

4 comments:

Majority said...

You’ve highlighted the key issue, Heather.

We simply didn’t want to wait three years to see if National/ACT have the commitment or capacity to turn around the disaster that NZ has become.

We, our two adult children, and their families, have already voted with our feet.

Anonymous said...


Two points why this is no surprise regarding a Left-wing victory whether in 2023, 2026 or at a later election .....

1. Who is going to stay in a Marxist-style state to pay for the ever increasing numbers of beneficiaries and similar entitled people ready to live on re-distributed wealth? Any thinking person must get ahead with his/her own life. The hard Left can sink together.

2.He Puapua and co-governance: people feel massive damage has been done. A reset is essential - and possible. But there will be unpleasant consequences. In 2023, which politicians have the courage to do this?


Anonymous said...

Left in Nov. 21. Partner and I. One is coming up to being 64 and one coming up to being 60.

Yes big move, desperate measures for desperate times.

Sold the house and took our $1.35 m with us to start a new life. That's not that much for some of you I know, but here we're well off and have bought a business and enough money in the bank to gain substantial funds in interest. Enough to put in a pool.

Writing was on the wall well and truly and had a gutsfull of the god awful fascist style indoctrination of the vaccinations as being 'safe and effective' and that we 'must be vaccinated to stop the virus' propaganda. It was at the time of the second lockdown which didn't make it any easier for us that's for sure but it was imperative we leave then and there as transiting through the US would have been closed to us left another week.

Such fun times s//. I wish you all the best but glad I'm not there with you. Neither of us have been sick AT ALL not even a snivel and my health has improved even as healthier choices in diet and lifestyle.

Will be voting in this election just to help you all out. Don't want the looney left to 'crash' the country that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

In Queensland on holiday, in our 70s, and Oz seems so pleasant, sane, and reasonable compared with the indoctrination going on in NZ.
And far less expensive to live.
Maybe it's the time to make a permanent move before the other million or so Kiwis come to the same conclusions ?