Originally Posted by Moses2013

These rankings change on a daily basis and it's the same everywhere. Social media plays a big part too and people complain across the globe now and if I would go by the comments I read on FB, nobody is happy where they are. Apart from those who get more for their money (Retired and wealthy), a lot of people quickly realise that life abroad is no different and you still have the same challenges. In the case of this ranking, I doubt anybody here who had to start from scratch would say Mexico is the best place to live and work. Of course marketing is another factor and the British who are told that their country is crap see images of NZ and think it's a tropical island where you work to live rather than live to work. Here in the Rep of Ireland it's the same and those who feel they live in a dull town think the UK is cheap as chips and everyone is wealthy. The Americans want to move to the Emerald Isle and the Germans want to move to Majorca.

Originally Posted by Genesis

There is indeed a degree of truth in what you say. That said I have been here long enough to be able to see (from what I read and hear) that NZ did used to be, to a degree, the ‘land of milk and honey’......I don’t think that is the case anymore.

NZ is awash with issues, yes, I know many other countries have issues too, but I think the fact that so many kiwis are heading back over to Oz and elsewhere to carve out a better life where houses are affordable and wages are better.

And therein lies the rub with both the latter and the former. Wages, in spite of the recent raised minimum wage over the last few years, are really bad here. Couple that with some of the most expensive housing in relationship to earnings, NZ really is not a place for young folk to get ahead.

It can be okay for crusty old retirees like me...but not for youth in my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by Moses2013

I agree, then again weren't many countries considered the land of milk and honey at some stage? The housing market can change and the wages (cost of living) can change, so even if young people move to Australia today and feel they get more for their money right now, many won't feel that in a few years time. It's just natural that young people from NZ always want to go to Australia and it's the only option they have close by with more going on. In a few years time young people might be more focused on where I can still grow veg rather than cheaper housing and entertainment. Speaking about higher wages and cheaper housing, that doesn't seem to be the case across Australia either now.

Originally Posted by Moses2013

I agree, then again weren't many countries considered the land of milk and honey at some stage? The housing market can change and the wages (cost of living) can change, so even if young people move to Australia today and feel they get more for their money right now, many won't feel that in a few years time. It's just natural that young people from NZ always want to go to Australia and it's the only option they have close by with more going on. In a few years time young people might be more focused on where I can still grow veg rather than cheaper housing and entertainment. Speaking about higher wages and cheaper housing, that doesn't seem to be the case across Australia either now.

Originally Posted by Genesis

Whilst I have carved out a good life here (and I am not rich, far from it), it appears many expats (and kiwis) are not happy here. I hope my three children eventually ship out as I feel NZ has become a back water fo anyone starting out in life.

Have a read of this.....https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/...ding-to-survey

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles

These rankings are heavily impacted by the performance of the All Blacks, hence the country has been gripped by severe trauma for the past few weeks. The clean green myth was debunked years ago and there's no Lord of the Rings films in the making or on screen, so stands to reason we're at an all time low.

We're relying solely on Taika Waiti to do the heavy lifting at the moment and the reviews of Thor: Love and Thunder are very mixed, with many calls to not let him near another Marvel movie. Sooo, back to the drawing board, what else do we have?

Originally Posted by Genesis

And today this very well written and informative article................https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/1292...nkas-footsteps