Thread: Calling all New Zealanders! I'm Thinking of Heading East

Originally Posted by jimbo110

I get time and a half after 40hrs and double time after 55hrs, It's not all flat rate over here, unless you work for Maccas.

Unlike SA where penal rates are legislated. in NZ penal rates are not. If penal rates exist its due to an individual contract or a site contract. Many site contracts have loosed there penal rates. You will usually only see penal rates are available for the people in the trades. Since the abolishment of the formal apprentice system NZ has a shortage of all trades. Even though Aussie immigration list has most trades listed as needed in Australia ( easier visa) NZ is in a much worse situation.

as for the cost of living, sure petrol is more, diesel is much less, food is less, housing is less, and second-hand cars are much less and of course income is less. but having said that compared to SA NZ electricity is about 1 1\2, water is much less, electrical goods TVs etc are much less car registration, medical food are all less( no import tax) so over all it balances out about the same. The biggest difference I believe is since the penal rates got the chop you will see yourself working more hours.
senior management can earn more in aussie, as a general comment have to work a bit less, a tradesperson will generally do a bit better. But the real advantage in aussie is the unskilled or semi skilled workers can if they choose have a much better standard of living.

As for Kiwis moving to Australia there are some facts that most aussies seem to over look, or choose to over look. The numbers reflect this as well as a couple of recent news articles. If a kiwi in aussie falls on hard times or is no longer a productive member of the Australian economy they tend to pack up and go back, they don’t end up sitting on the Dole.
As a percentage Kiwis in Australia are less represented in the DOLE numbers than any other Group.
NZ is not used as a stepping stone into Australia; IT is much harder to immigrate to NZ than it is to Australia. they tend to just move to Australia in the first place.
NZ crims can’t gain access to Australia we need a visa.
aussie crims often move to NZ, aussies don’t need a visa.
A kiwi can not move to aissie and go on the DOLE. And aussie can move to NZ an go on the Dole.
The Dole with family benefit housing allowance and funded training is more than what it is in aussie.
So most of the Australian vies of Kiwis moving to Australia are wrong.
Having said that successive NZ governments have done much to encourage immigration out of NZ.
Just a couple of scenarios
Uni students finish university with such a debit burden that many just leave NZ with there shinny new BA etc leaving there debt behind them. NZ government tried to cut a deal with the aussie government to collect these debits from Kiwis living in aussie, I believe the aussie government didn’t want to get involved (could be wrong).
If you have kids ( as a male) and separate from your wife, the percentage taken from your income ( that has no bearing on what you kids and EX receive) can be massive if you are on a good income. But moving to Australia will not help there as the Australian government will track you down here. At least you will have a bigger income and with exchange rates you can live afterwards.
But the worse one is there is no Wife Visa like Australia has. If a kiwi makes the mistake of marring a non kiwi citizen even if they are already in NZ on another visa ( student etc) or are in a relationship with a non kiwi citizen ( immigration NZ do not recognise marriage) you WILL fined your partners Visa requirements change. IE you must demonstrate a stable relationship for a minim of 2 years before you can apply for a visit for your wife. If you are in NZ and take up a relationship with a non kiwi citz his or her visa requirements will change from what ever visa they were on to a visa that requires this 2 year demonstration BEFORE they can get there next Visa. IE they must leave NZ. The aussie government has a special class of visa just to capture such couples caught up in this Kiwi blunder.
Add to this the differences in professionalism between aissie and kiwi immigration staff stationed overseas in various different consulates and embassies. In short some of the kiwi staff are just an embarrassment. Just a couple that I have experience with at different times, Moscow – the biggest Cow in Russia ( and that’s what the Kiwis called her) BBK – Key Nock,( bird poo). Beijing – the smelly one. India – below cast. And then there is the corruption with the local staff which the aussies have been able to eliminate or reduce

Rant over

Originally Posted by p38arover

Yair, they stopped paying all the Kiwis in gaol, so they all moved to Australia!

As posted before, Kiwis need a visa to get into aussie, IE no kiwi crims coming here. Unless the aussies are converting them to crims.
On the other hand aussie crims don’t need a visa to go to NZ.
What was not uncommon a few years ago, if a kiwi was living on the wrong side of the tracks a move to aussie was a clean brake.
I personally know of a couple of kiwi guys who did some silly things in there teenage years, who latter on moved to aussie to get away from bad influences, who settled down married brought a house had kids as well as good jobs ( one was a CEO) who were denied access back into Australia after a quick trip back to NZ ( one was for his fathers funeral)

Originally Posted by clean32

Unlike SA where penal rates are legislated. in NZ penal rates are not. If penal rates exist its due to an individual contract or a site contract. Many site contracts have loosed there penal rates.

<snip>


NZ crims can’t gain access to Australia we need a visa.

I didn't realise you were a crim! No wonder you are on penal rates.

Originally Posted by p38arover

I didn't realise you were a crim! No wonder you are on penal rates.

LOL as I am here, I cant be a crim or your renamed border police were asleep.

We are here on some sort of visa that came with a nice letter that said something along the lines of grateful services to the commonwealth bla bla bla and a funny little box with a bit of tin attached to a blue and red striped rag in it. An offer that was made a few years ago which we elected to take up last year. I will add to that we are grateful and very pleased we have settled in Adelaide. Me a crim LOL don’t think so but a very exciting and different life to date. The only distasteful part was visiting the aussie pedophiles and wanabe drug smugglers in the BBK Hilton.

Originally Posted by clean32

LOL as I am here, I cant be a crim or your renamed border police were asleep.

Don't wake up we govt. workers.....

Originally Posted by clean32

.The only distasteful part was visiting the aussie pedophiles and wanabe drug smugglers in the BBK Hilton.

..... oh, it seems you are in the govt., too!

No, I wouldn't like that part of your job, that is for sure.

Originally Posted by p38arover

..... oh, it seems you are in the govt., too!

good guess but no

Another thing to add. You can bring your dog or cat from NZ into Oz with no need to go into quarantine but can't take pets into NZ without going in for 6 months.