Editorial: Migration challenge to region

Newspapers around New Zealand yesterday published pictures of Little blue penguins, affected by the Rena disaster, rushing offshore.

That was a story of hope, unlike another major story yesterday about the droves of Kiwis heading offshore.

For the first time in a decade, net migration out of New Zealand was greater than migration into the country.

The overlap was only 100 people for the year ended October and it is expected that migration inflows from Europe are likely to increase in coming years and that the balance will return to being in New Zealand's favour.

But within the figures is the real warning for New Zealand and particularly for regions such as Hawke's Bay offering lower than average wages - the continuing trend of large numbers of Kiwis leaving for Australia.

Statistics New Zealand says 49,000 people left for Australia in the past year, offset by 14,500 coming the other way. Most of these migrants were New Zealand citizens.

On a month-by-month basis, total departures last month were down 290 from September so there is some encouragement there but not enough to be anywhere near turning what has become a tide.

Australia's economy is no longer firing across the board but boom sectors such as mining will continue to lure skilled New Zealanders. Australia also needs doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers, State government workers - the list goes on.

How long can New Zealand realistically expect people whose livelihoods have been torn asunder by the Christchurch earthquakes or who simply can not find a living wage in Hawke's Bay to stay in the country? It is a no-brainer that many will leave to try and better their lives across the Tasman.

Australian industries and even State Governments are not shy of recruiting directly via New Zealand media and websites. Where else can they find such a large pool of potential workers who are educated, qualify to live in Australia and fit easily into their society? For Australian employers, New Zealand is a rich vein indeed.

What it means for Hawke's Bay is we simply must get our economic development act sorted out. In the end there is only one answer to this challenge to regions like ours. Jobs.