One-third of Kiwis eyeing browner pastures

By EUGENE BINGHAM political reporter

Rising numbers of New Zealanders are moving across the Tasman and a population sample suggests more than a million others have considered following them.

More than 35 per cent of people questioned in the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey have thought of shifting to Australia.

Statistics New Zealand figures show an increasing number turning those thoughts into action: permanent and long-term departures to Australia were up more than 12 per cent in the year to October 31.

Figures released for that year put the net outflow to Australia at 26,290, with 37,038 departures.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said last night that she was not surprised by the number of people who said they had considered packing up.

"You would think with the beat-up that has gone on [over the so-called brain-drain] it would have been higher," she said.

"Given the number of Kiwis who have got family over there and given the whole context of the last few months, it's actually quite encouraging.

"We are a common labour market after all, so it's not unnatural that people do come to and fro."

The Herald-DigiPoll survey asked 767 people: "Have you considered emigrating to Australia?" Those saying they had amounted to 35.3 per cent; 64.5 per cent said no. The poll has a 3.5 per cent margin of error.

It is the second time this year that the question has been asked. The number considering emigrating is slightly up on the 34.7 per cent in a poll in March.

Act leader Richard Prebble, who has been at the forefront of debate this year about the brain-drain, did not think the results showed much.

He was worried about the number of people who were actually going through with it.

"I think it's the most serious problem facing the country.

"The average household wealth has gone down, real purchasing power has gone down, and very few people have had pay rises, so people are looking overseas."

Mr Prebble said the survey result was interesting because it suggested that many more people would be going if it were not for commitments such as family.

An Auckland company specialising in helping people to shift pointed out that the cost of moving overseas could amount to 2 1/2 times a person's salary. And yet more people were doing it.

"They liken it to a divorce or a death in the family," said the managing director of Relocations International, Geraldine Speed.

Her company fielded a steady number of inquiries from people looking to make the transtasman switch.

But it was also dealing with increasing numbers of people moving to New Zealand to fill professional positions vacated by New Zealanders who had moved overseas, she said.

"We had a record six months to June and now obviously we'll be off the record for this six months."

Meanwhile, Australians have noticed the rise in numbers of New Zealanders flying in.

Federal Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock attributed a sharp jump in settler arrivals in the 1999-2000 year to an increase in the number of New Zealanders crossing the Tasman.

"New Zealanders accounted for the biggest increase, up 28 per cent," Mr Ruddock said this month.

Of the 92,272 settler arrivals in Australian, the largest single group were New Zealand citizens.