Don

And some good tax breaks as well, Deedee?

deedee

Tax breaks are a formality the globe over(i'm told by the bean counters)Its just the same......i dunno

Pollster

So the 6 million odd who live here are struggling on the poverty line are they?

All this low wages stuff gets my goat - yes compared to other countries wages are lower but you are not living in other countries on a Kiwi wage - you are living in NZ and it is do-able - it has to be or there wouldn't be anyone here!

I have always found that you live within your means - in London on two good wages we found ourselves short at the end of the month and had beans on toast for dinner the day before pay day - and guess what - in NZ on one good wage (anything I earn goes into the rainy day account) we find ourselves short at the end of the month and have beans on toast the day before pay day.

You can comment on our budgeting skills if you like but the truth of the matter is that we had fun for our money in both places - but prefer NZ by far.

Pollster

And another thing.......

What is the point of asking Kiwis who have moved abroad on a permanent basis how brilliant NZ is?

You'll get the same answer you'll get if you ask anyone who has chosen to leave the country of their birth for somewhere else "S'alright but I don't like this, this, this, and this and much prefer it here because of this, this, this and this."

Ask the people who came here and stayed and those who were born here and stay through choice and you'll get an (obviously) much more positive answer.

bondipom

Credit Kiwis more than that. Most I speak are just chasing the opportunities. Not something up with NZ but something that other places have. Many would rather those opportunities were available in NZ. Personally I would look at it as the modern way of working with a global wandering workforce.

Something I find amusing here is the constant reference by Kiwis of the quote "lefty hairy lesbian PM giving the nation to the Maori". As pointed out earlier NZ is for some but rarely do I hear whose those people are or what professions do well there. My point is instead of defend NZs weak points promote the place.

JoB

Pollster, Deedee and Daisy (not heard from you for a while),

I absolutley agree. I have wanted to emigrate for years. Husband and I have great jobs. I am middle management in BT and this year can earn a small fortune (for the North West that is).

I want to emigrate for a different lifestyle, peace, quite, time to spend with young family and not have the peer pressure of must have this and must have that. I am not saying that NZ isn't materialistic of course it is but I have seen it first hand I have stayed with my B-I-Law long enough in Hamilton to see that the kids are happy without playstations, mobile phones (why do young kids need them anyway??), and all the latest gadgets. Not that I let them have them all anyway but the marketing bods do a great job over here. They will charge us for fresh air next.

My husband said last night while we were discussing our move, again based on money we would loose and opportunity for the kids!!, 'NZ doesn't produce any literary geniuses or is that geniui??' point is how would he know and what does that matter as long as our kids reach their potential.
In this life you have to have GREAT communication skills to get on. I know I left school with a few O levels and am higher in my job than all the younger degree boffs who can't articulate themselves at all.

NZ's outdoor lifestyle allows the development of these skills.

I also agree with Deedee, opportunity is what you can see not what you can't. IMHO there will be plenty of opportunity for the future of NZ especially if more people want to emigrate. I can see in the next 10-20 years much more opportunity for our younger generation in NZ.

This Forum many times has made me think twice or get very depressed over my decision because of all the NZ trashing. It is needless, as Pollster said this forum doesn't have people on who are setlled as they are getting on with their new lives. My friends who emigrated earlier this year do not subscribe to this forum and they love NZ.
For God's sake if you are going to give your opinions they need to be balanced and realise not everyone is chasing rainbows.

Anyway now thats off my chest please can anyone answer my question on timescales posted a few days ago.

Ta

Jo B

Pollster

Already did Jo B!

MikeStanton

The population of NZ is ~4 millon, not 6 million. There are probably more people below the poverty line in UK and USA than NZ. But, NZ does not have much in the way of opportunity for most people. I suggest if you think that that the comments against living in NZ are more myth than reality, you should start by explaining them to your ex-fellow 800,000 NZ's who have departed for Oz, UK, USA...

JoB

Mike what you will also find is they work abroad for a few years to get some ££'s in their pocket then move back to NZ to settle down some decent money behind them.

Jo

deedee

Define your opinion of opportunity for most people in NZ, in relation to the UK?
I for one have an unbiased view and i'd say there was more here in NZ than the UK if your physically fit, of sound mind and able.(regardless what stats might say about who migrates where for how long)

sashimi

Maybe that many have departed to the places you mention, but not all of them forever and not all of them because they're chasing money or a better life.
I know two Kiwi women who both went to Oz, yes to make money, but not to live there but to travel all over Asia finally ending up in London. Yes, they stayed there for a while, again not because they were escaping NZ, but because they wanted to see England and Europe, and finally returned to NZ. How many people aren't leaving the Uk going to Oz, NZ, Spain, the US, Canada etc.? Some because they don't like the UK, others because they want to try something different, see something else. To me it seems the same whether it's Kiwis or Brits. It doesn't necessarily say an awful lot about the country they left or the living conditions there.

Apart from that, I am also one of the people who have left this board, I read it, but hardly ever post, and get my info from ***** or emigratenz these days. Pity you had to leave that one, Don - partly because of the lack of NZ info these days, and partly because of the tone that sometimes prevails here. Although I do agree, it is a bit more fun here.

It's great to hear from you people again, Pollster, Daisy, DeeDee and Don.

Question for you Don: are you at all planning to return to NZ?

Sashimi

Diprotodon

One small step for man, one small world for mankind.

Pollster

Thanks Shashimi for reminding me of the point of this thread - all the Kiwi bashing that goes on here - and what has happened to the thread? - a load of kiwi bashing

And not a single Aussie coming aboard to support us in our hour of need!

Edited to say - Sorry BP - you did sort of stand up for us!

deedee

nothing new here is there<yawn>
I get the impression there's a few very bitter people on here who just hate the thought of others having a good time in NZ.

Peter

Kiwis can stand up for themselves; don't need any Aussies to back them up.