NZ Citizen retiring to Brisbane?
#1
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Hi all
Does anyone know if one is able to retire and live in Australia once they become NZ pensioners? We are currently living back in UK but we are both NZ citizens and thinking of retiring next year when we reach the correct NZ retirement age. Finding lots of conflicting information online rather confusing...
Also can anyone recommend any websites that would clarify what we would need on the health front.. e.g. Would we need private health insurance or would we be covered by the Public Health Service there? Any other advice and suggestions gratefully received. Thanks in advance 🤞
Does anyone know if one is able to retire and live in Australia once they become NZ pensioners? We are currently living back in UK but we are both NZ citizens and thinking of retiring next year when we reach the correct NZ retirement age. Finding lots of conflicting information online rather confusing...
Also can anyone recommend any websites that would clarify what we would need on the health front.. e.g. Would we need private health insurance or would we be covered by the Public Health Service there? Any other advice and suggestions gratefully received. Thanks in advance 🤞

#2
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If you are a New Zealand Citizen, you can live in Australia.
Huge numbers of Kiwis retire to Queensland.
You can get Medicare:
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/ind...who-can-get-it
Huge numbers of Kiwis retire to Queensland.
You can get Medicare:
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/ind...who-can-get-it

#3
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That's excellent news, many thanks indeed. I had read so many reports of NZ citizens not being able to access any benefits in Australia that I had assumed we wouldn't qualify for anything like that

#4
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BB

#5
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Thank you so much, this is all music to my ears

#6
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As an NZ Citizen in Australia you become a grey area! You are treated the same as a Permanent Resident in many areas, and treated the same as a temporary resident in others. But there are thousands and thousands of NZ citizens retired in Australia, you get all the medical benefits of a permanent resident, however these days for an NZ citizen to get Medicare you have to prove that you have come to live in Australia, rather than just visit for medical tourism. So evidence of an Australian bank account, or sale of a house overseas, or a 12 month rental agreement in Australia etc etc would satisfy this.
BB
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What happens with the NZ state pension then? I tohught one could only be outside of NZ for 6 months .

#7

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/pe...alia.html#null

#8
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Thanks for that. So from what I can understand, if a couple have another income of over $304 per fortnight, the state pension reduces by 50%? Wow..that seems rather harsh
May have to re-think if that's the case... 



#9

The Australian age pension is very different to the UK State pension (don't know anything about the NZ one). While your UK pension is based on your NI contributions the Oz one is paid from general federal funds and is a welfare payment, hence the income and assets tests.
