Northland exodus to Aussie

The grass might be greener in New Zealand but that isn't stopping Northlanders packing up and crossing the Ditch.
The produce from that green grass also crosses the Tasman, where New Zealand-made butter costs A$2.49 (500g) compared with $3.95 here. In current conversion rates, the fat of this land costs $3.10, or 27 per cent less, in Australia.
A former Whangarei woman now living in Queensland, Leanne Williams, said she was shocked at the prices of everyday commodities in New Zealand. Visiting family in Whangarei, she has brought grocery pamphlets back that show New Zealand premium mince at A$6.99 kilogram, canola oil spread at A99c compared with $3.49 here, and the cheaper butter.
She said Australian government subsidies on first-home buying, good public facilities, climate and better wages were all attractions for New Zealanders, but most Kiwis she knew of moved over there foremost to find work.
Statistics indicate the migration level from Northland to Australia is ramping up again.
Last year, 1380 people left Northland for Australia, either long-term or permanently, an 11 per cent increase on the year before but a significant 40 per cent less than in 2008, when the recession bit hardest.
The number peaked in 2008 as a yawning recession's jaws clamped shut and 1943 Northlanders moved west.
The flow eased in 2009, when - comparatively - a mere 1177 made the move.
Many of those might have already returned home in the traffic that comes this way. Last year alone, 624 people who moved into, not out of Northland, from Australia. In 2009, that figure was 509 and in 2008 - the year of the biggest migration out of here - 403 moved to Northland from Australia.
Registered Master Builder Federation president for Auckland and Northland Darrell Trigg said migration back and forth was nothing new, and when things pick up again many would return.
"It's pretty much impossible for tradies to stay around at the moment but once work picks up, and we expect that next year, we'll have to go out and try to attract those people back," Mr Trigg said.
"Anyone with a trade is worth something to themselves and they need to be applying their skills, they need to chase the work."
Ms Williams said she and her husband had helped local men moving to Australia to work, while their wives and families stayed in Whangarei. For many it was cheaper to keep the family house and children in school while the breadwinner worked in Australia, taking advantage of cheap transtasman airfares for regular trips home.
"These are good, hard-working people who are used to an income. It's really sad because they are having to leave their families. People still like to hire Kiwis because they are good workers, and the money's still better over there."
Ms Williams, her husband and two younger children crossed the Tasman four years ago - a hard decision to make but necessary for the family to "get on top".
"I do come back quite regularly but I just about fell over when I saw prices this time," she said. "Things have skyrocketed so much."
Garage sale and house sale signs add to anecdotal evidence that the lure of Australia remains powerful.
However, local real estate and household removal companies say that last year and so far this year have not been as busy as 2009 and 2008.
* Do you know someone who has headed over to Australia and living the dream? Let us on know on reporters@northernadvocate.co.nz