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Questions, questions, questions!!!

Questions, questions, questions!!!

Old Aug 4th 2017, 11:12 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Golf harbour looks lovely...... to far of a commute to cbd??
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Old Aug 4th 2017, 11:39 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Warkworth again to far??
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 3:30 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by carcajou
The school systems in New Zealand and Australia are very comparable. It should be a wash on that count.

The Melbourne job, factoring the exchange rate, is almost an extra $2,000 AUD every month - and you have four kids. I do think on the lower NZ salary, considering the size of your family, you will feel some pinch in Auckland, though it is livable on what your partner would be earning.

More than enough world-class outdoorsy things to do around Melbourne. The key is going to be, can you afford/save enough for your children to enjoy them? Auckland - possibly, Melbourne - probably. That is where the extra $2,000 each month AUD comes in.

Ask Kiwis - would you take an extra $2,000 a month to leave Auckland and go to Melbourne?


Good luck.
The value of the NZ dollar and the Aussie dollar are on parity. I have lived in both countries and believe me, currently, the cost of living is higher in Australia than in New Zealand. You would have to expect unforeseen deductions from your wages in Australia as, compulsory superannuation and Medicare contributions, which would account for at' least' 20% of your salary. These costs are not applicable in New Zealand!! You are talking possibly relocating to Melbourne which boasts the highest real estate prices in Australia, next to Sydney. Higher than in Auckland in comparable locations. Melbourne can have cold winters but much warmer summers than in Auckland.
You can buy a modern used vehicle in New Zealand much cheaper than in Australia. New Zealand imports thousands of Japanese used vehicles every year, Australia doesn't..Australia has stamp duty on property, New Zealand doesn't. Australia has capital gain tax on property, currently, New Zealand doesn't.
These costs all add up in the big picture of comparing the cost of living in both countries, so do your home work thoroughly before making your final decision. Good luck.
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 3:57 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by Rocknrolla
The value of the NZ dollar and the Aussie dollar are on parity. I have lived in both countries and believe me, currently, the cost of living is higher in Australia than in New Zealand. You would have to expect unforeseen deductions from your wages in Australia as, compulsory superannuation and Medicare contributions, which would account for at' least' 20% of your salary. These costs are not applicable in New Zealand!! You are talking possibly relocating to Melbourne which boasts the highest real estate prices in Australia, next to Sydney. Higher than in Auckland in comparable locations. Melbourne can have cold winters but much warmer summers than in Auckland.
You can buy a modern used vehicle in New Zealand much cheaper than in Australia. New Zealand imports thousands of Japanese used vehicles every year, Australia doesn't..Australia has stamp duty on property, New Zealand doesn't. Australia has capital gain tax on property, currently, New Zealand doesn't.
These costs all add up in the big picture of comparing the cost of living in both countries, so do your home work thoroughly before making your final decision. Good luck.

Do you think I made those calculations using a 1995 currency conversion table?

Those figures are from, I assume a month ago when this thread started, and are from when NZD was actually slightly stronger against AUD than it is today. Which is not "parity" but near-parity, about $1 NZD = $0.935 AUD.

It is not a wash financially because of "cost of living" - and what differences there are, assuming NZ is cheaper (which most, including me, would say it is not) - is nowhere near even the same solar system as $2,000 AUD worth a month. By the way - Australian superannuation is on top of wages, not deducted from it, and the Medicare levy is a tiny fraction of annual salary, unless you make over the threshold (something like $200,000 a year) when it is 2%.

In my own profession a move to New Zealand would be financially impossible - I would be almost $40,000 NZD annually worse off . . . and in a few years that will blow out to almost $50,000 NZD annually worse off. We could not move there even if we wanted to, without committing financial suicide.

That is today, despite the flood of media stories about how great the New Zealand economy is doing right now compared to the Australian one. There is a reason why 15% of all New Zealand Citizens live in Australia.

OP has made her decision and is going to Auckland - and her family very, very smartly negotiated a package that eventually exceeded what her family would have made in Melbourne. That is probably going to ensure they have a great experience there, instead of being another expat statistic.

This response is not to bash New Zealand - my reply has been strictly economic in content. But those outside this region think we are two equivalent countries and we are not. Different countries, different cultures, different lived experiences, different economic conditions.

Last edited by carcajou; Aug 5th 2017 at 4:03 am.
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 4:07 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

However, Rocknrolla, thank you for bringing up superannuation - I forgot in my calculations to actually increase the value of the Melbourne offer by 9.5% to take that into account, as you can take your super with you when you leave Australia. However OP has negotiated a better package in Auckland.
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 5:28 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by carcajou
Do you think I made those calculations using a 1995 currency conversion table?

Those figures are from, I assume a month ago when this thread started, and are from when NZD was actually slightly stronger against AUD than it is today. Which is not "parity" but near-parity, about $1 NZD = $0.935 AUD.

It is not a wash financially because of "cost of living" - and what differences there are, assuming NZ is cheaper (which most, including me, would say it is not) - is nowhere near even the same solar system as $2,000 AUD worth a month. By the way - Australian superannuation is on top of wages, not deducted from it, and the Medicare levy is a tiny fraction of annual salary, unless you make over the threshold (something like $200,000 a year) when it is 2%.

In my own profession a move to New Zealand would be financially impossible - I would be almost $40,000 NZD annually worse off . . . and in a few years that will blow out to almost $50,000 NZD annually worse off. We could not move there even if we wanted to, without committing financial suicide.

That is today, despite the flood of media stories about how great the New Zealand economy is doing right now compared to the Australian one. There is a reason why 15% of all New Zealand Citizens live in Australia.

OP has made her decision and is going to Auckland - and her family very, very smartly negotiated a package that eventually exceeded what her family would have made in Melbourne. That is probably going to ensure they have a great experience there, instead of being another expat statistic.

This response is not to bash New Zealand - my reply has been strictly economic in content. But those outside this region think we are two equivalent countries and we are not. Different countries, different cultures, different lived experiences, different economic conditions.

Of course that is only your opinion. I have lived in both countries for many years owning very successful business in both countries and employing many people. I am only telling it as it is. It is quite simple to Google 'statistics' which would spell out the pros and cons of either country. If I had a choice of going back to either I would certainly chose New Zealand. You are really only telling half truths which could be quite misleading.
It is interesting to look at the 'IQ' statistics of both countries with New Zealand being in the top ten countries in the world..Maybe all those Kiwis living in Australia,- as you quote- may be improving the gene pool, and the overall Aussie IQ rating, I don't know!
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 5:43 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

No, you are the one telling half-truths. That is not "telling it like it is." Publicly available wage awards, tax rates, currency conversions and superannuation and Medicare laws are not "half-truths."

But OK whatever! I'll play your game. Sure a grocery bill that is $200 in NZ will set you back $500 in Australia. Superannuation takes 20% out of your wage bill. Medicare Levy another 15%. None of that is true but whatever. All those Kiwis in Australia are just the dregs of NZ society - don't miss 'em at all. We do live in a "post-truth" world and thank you for trying to conform to that with gusto while those of us trying to resist are becoming dinosaurs.

Thank you for your valuable contribution to the thread.

Last edited by carcajou; Aug 5th 2017 at 6:15 am.
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 8:03 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by Scottishedo
Golf harbour looks lovely...... to far of a commute to cbd??
We have family who live on the hill down to Gulf Harbour....."Golf Harbour"
Dunno whether that's a typo or a funny dig as there's 2 golf courses down there
They tend to work locally so rarely go in to the CBD.
I'd say too far of a commute to the CBD from there. The winding 18kM drive from Gulf Harbour to the motorway via Silverdale can be a nightmare at the wrong time as the majority of it is single carriageway and then if you're hitting traffic on the motorway I'd guess it'd be a pig of a journey. You can elect to skip the motorway and take the scenic route but from what I'm told the journey towards Auckland is worse.....as you'd expect.
It is a beautiful place to live though for sure.
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 11:45 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

There is a ferry service to the CBD from Gulf Harbour. Warkworth is too far IMO.
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 12:09 pm
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by carcajou
No, you are the one telling half-truths. That is not "telling it like it is." Publicly available wage awards, tax rates, currency conversions and superannuation and Medicare laws are not "half-truths."

But OK whatever! I'll play your game. Sure a grocery bill that is $200 in NZ will set you back $500 in Australia. Superannuation takes 20% out of your wage bill. Medicare Levy another 15%. None of that is true but whatever. All those Kiwis in Australia are just the dregs of NZ society - don't miss 'em at all. We do live in a "post-truth" world and thank you for trying to conform to that with gusto while those of us trying to resist are becoming dinosaurs.

Thank you for your valuable contribution to the thread.
As I have stated, I am only quoting from personal experience and telling it as it is, as I have lived in both countries. You will have to be aware and take into consideration that most Aussies were breed from criminally inclined ancestors, I guess that explains a lot!!!
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 12:48 pm
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by Rocknrolla
As I have stated, I am only quoting from personal experience and telling it as it is, as I have lived in both countries. You will have to be aware and take into consideration that most Aussies were breed from criminally inclined ancestors, I guess that explains a lot!!!

Well, I don't believe you were an Australian business owner, because if you had been, you would know Super doesn't cut 20% from an employees' wages, you would know Medicare doesn't either (and would know how the Medicare levy works), you would know what currency parity means, and you would know Australia does not have a $2,000 to $2,500 per month higher cost of living.

How are you enjoying the Philippines, which your profile says you are posting from?
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Old Aug 5th 2017, 8:58 pm
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by sr71
There is a ferry service to the CBD from Gulf Harbour. Warkworth is too far IMO.
Ferry service is very limited. Too far to commute every day, traffic is very congested and no sign yet of the pen-link! Warkworth again too far to the CBD but if working in Albany would be worth thinking about. That said, not sure the schools are as good compared to Silverdale/north shore.
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Old Aug 6th 2017, 5:45 am
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Haha yes Gulf Harbour! What about the commute from there to Albany?
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Old Aug 6th 2017, 6:40 am
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by Scottishedo
Haha yes Gulf Harbour! What about the commute from there to Albany?
Albany is very commutable from Silverdale but having done it for a couple of years some 5yrs ago I wouldn't consider it now, as above the peninsular is mostly a winding single carriageway road through residential suburbs...full of people trying to go the same way at the same time.

I have friends up there that commute to the CBD by working their working day around the ferry.
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Old Aug 7th 2017, 9:47 pm
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Default Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!

Originally Posted by Scottishedo
Hi,

5) what's the weather like in Auckland I keep seeing conflicting information about the amount of rain and sun! Remember we are in Scotland renouned for being wet and cold!!!

OP,
Like you I live in Scotland (Inverness) and just returned from NZ at the weekend after being in AKL for a week or so (had a couple of job interviews). Despite being middle of Winter in NZ, we still found the AKL climate slighter warmer than Inverness in middle of Summer!!
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