With more than 600 New Zealanders lining up every week to leave, clutching one-way tickets to Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, Australia is looming large. New Zealand has lost almost 200,000 citizens across the Tasman in the past 10 years. About 10 per cent of the population lives in Australia. New Zealand is "bleeding Kiwis", says Dr Brash, of the 24 per cent of graduates now overseas. Much hangs on stemming that flow.

"Thirty years ago per capita incomes were on a par, now New Zealand is a full 30 per cent behind in terms of purchasing power," he says. "People who have skills and want to do the best for themselves and their families have good reason for moving."