1 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Gielda. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: a daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. More 3 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: and more Kiwis are heading overseas to see if the 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: grass is really greener. On the other side, most of 5 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: us are heading to Australia, with latest figures showing twenty 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: seven thousand moves last year, but thousands are still flocking 7 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: to the UK for their oe. People are gambling on 8 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: getting better pay and conditions overseas and escaping New Zealand's 9 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: high cost of living. 10 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 2: But are things really better. 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: Today? On the Front Page, we'll explore what the stats 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: say with enz at Herald journalist ben Ley. 13 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 3: Ben, let's get. 14 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: Some figures on the table up front when it comes 15 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: to New Zealand. What are the general averages when it 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: comes to say house prices. 17 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 4: Yeah, so the NZ national price according to property analysts 18 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 4: care Logic is nine hundred and thirty one thousand, four 19 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 4: hundred and thirty eight dollars. 20 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: And what about your weekly rentals and the typical salary 21 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: I guess and householding comes. 22 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, the national rent at the moment is five hundred 23 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 4: and seventy three dollars according to core logic again, and 24 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 4: salaries can be measured in different ways. So in one story, 25 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 4: we measured the household incomes and the ENDZ national household 26 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 4: income is one hundred and two thousand dollars six hundred 27 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 4: and ninety. We did that with the inflation calculator, So 28 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 4: we took a twenty twenty one figure and we added 29 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 4: salary inflation onto it to come up with that. 30 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: And we're talking about these because so many kiwis are 31 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: flocking overseas, right, how many people are actually moving to 32 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: say the UK or Australia. 33 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 4: Sure, So Stat's ENZ just released new figures this week 34 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 4: and the sort of backdated figures they're a bit older, 35 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 4: but it was for twenty twenty three and they found 36 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 4: that twenty seven thousand more key we went to Australia 37 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 4: then came back the other way. Now that is a lot, 38 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 4: and between twenty fourteen and twenty nineteen we only had 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 4: about three thousand more kiwis going across the Tasman. But 40 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 4: before that, thirty thousand people per year was about the 41 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 4: average for the five years back before twenty fourteen, So 42 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 4: it's not record highs, it's definitely big. 43 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 5: Well, the numbers are beginning to trend up because what 44 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,959 Speaker 5: was interesting during COVID was we had a knit gain 45 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 5: from Australia and that's very unusual in our history. So 46 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 5: for most years in the last thirty years, we've seen 47 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 5: anit loss. So we're going back to what has been 48 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 5: an historical pattern. 49 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: So let's go through both Australia and the UK topic 50 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: by topic. How did house prices compare for people looking 51 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: to really settle down in either country? 52 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 3: Yeah? Sure, Well, let's put it in simple terms. 53 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 4: London is the most expensive, so it's almost say a 54 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 4: beast onto itself if the house prices is just in 55 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 4: excess of Australia and New Zealand cities pretty much because 56 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 4: it's like a world city rwn. But when you take 57 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:07,519 Speaker 4: that out of the picture, I'm sorry to say, but 58 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 4: New Zealand house prices are clearly the next highest, which 59 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 4: is it's hard to sort of stomach, isn't it. But 60 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 4: then beyond that, maybe then you've got Australian house prices 61 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 4: and then the UK excluding. 62 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: London for those younger kiwi's, maybe those looking to do 63 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: an OWI for a few years or a couple of years. 64 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: How does the rental market compare. 65 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,519 Speaker 3: Yeah, so once again kiwis heading to London. 66 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 4: Rental prices are really expensive in London compared to Australia 67 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 4: and New Zealand. So just for instance, London's typical weekly 68 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 4: rent is one thousand dollars in the latest figures that 69 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 4: we had, and you know, by comparison, Auckland's about six 70 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 4: hundred and thirty six. So when you take London out 71 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 4: of the picture then it's actually fairly even the prices 72 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 4: between all three countries. So yeah, it's a bit of 73 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 4: a mix, but Australia may be a little bit more 74 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 4: expensive than New Zealand and the UK to reanting. 75 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: And the UK gets cheaper the further out you get 76 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: from those big cities. Hey, much like New Zealand. 77 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 78 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 4: Sure, if you pretty much head north out of London, 79 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 4: it starts to get cheaper, especially places like Sheffield, Liverpool 80 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 4: and Leeds. 81 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, a lot cheaper than in London. 82 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: And we all know anecdotally that the big draw card 83 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: for going overseas is for the biggest salaries. 84 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 3: Do the stats actually. 85 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 4: Support that definitely in the case of Australia. Yeah, I 86 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 4: think in one of the stories where we compared New 87 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 4: Zealand household income compared to the Australian states, and it's 88 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 4: pretty much below most of the Australian states. So if 89 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 4: you take the Australian Capital Territory, we worked out that 90 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 4: the household income there was one hundred and forty four 91 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 4: thousand dollars per year and by comparison, New Zealand's was 92 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 4: one hundred thousand dollars per year. 93 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 6: Well, the under twenties are eight percent better off in 94 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 6: New Zealand. At every other age group, the difference grows 95 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 6: to about twenty percent in the favor of Australia. Adding 96 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 6: fuel to the fire. Let's also consider that Australia employers 97 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 6: at eleven percent of super on top of these wages, 98 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 6: well in New Zealand we get a poultry three percent. Clearly, 99 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 6: with the best available data from both countries governments, Australia 100 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 6: has more money to offer kiwi's of all age groups. 101 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 4: Just anecdotally. There's one person we spoke to was a 102 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 4: maths teacher. So he went from Hamilton across to Melbourne 103 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 4: in Victoria and his salary jumps thirty one thousand dollars 104 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 4: just by catching the flight basically, so he was a 105 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 4: fourth year maths teacher. He's getting paid seventy thousand dollars 106 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 4: in Hamilton. Then when he went to Victoria's salary jumped 107 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 4: up to ninety one thousand dollars plus superannuation, which took 108 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 4: it to one hundred and one thousand dollars in total. 109 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 4: And then when you look at some of the police 110 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 4: campaigns that have been going on. Last year, the Northern 111 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 4: Territory Police launched a very high profile campaign to get 112 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 4: Kiwi cops. It was to live in more remote parts 113 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 4: of the Northern Territory, but yeah, it was still up 114 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 4: to sixty thousand dollars higher than and some police salaries 115 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 4: here in New Zealand. And just in terms of who 116 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 4: might be going, police are actively recruiting, especially people in 117 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 4: like healthcare, doctors, nurses and even just on the weekend, 118 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 4: I was speaking to a police officer who is from 119 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 4: South Auckland and he just said that he thought there 120 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 4: was up to eighty police from South Auckland that had 121 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 4: headed over to Australia in the last six months. 122 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 3: He migrated from India. 123 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 4: At some stage, he's got a new baby with his 124 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 4: newly married wife, or he's expecting. 125 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,679 Speaker 3: He's one month off having his new baby. 126 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 4: So you can imagine the sort of pressures on someone 127 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,720 Speaker 4: like that when house prices are so high in Auckland 128 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 4: about why it might be attractive to go across the Tasman. 129 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: Now is actually a pretty good time to bring up 130 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: the fact that you will be able to tell from 131 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: my accent, maybe not from yours, Ben, but we are 132 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: both Australian and you know the irony is not. 133 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 3: Lost on us. 134 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: For us too speaking about this topic, Gay, Yeah. 135 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 3: That's right. 136 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 4: And you know, I feel like, having done a few 137 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 4: of these stories, is now that maybe Victoria Police Lauthern 138 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 4: Territory Police should be paying me a little bit of 139 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 4: commission for all these people we're helping sand across the Tasman. Right, 140 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 4: We're here making the sacrifices on lower salaries just to 141 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 4: boost Australia with all these talented kiwis. 142 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 3: We just love our jobs so much, that's all. When 143 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 3: we love New Zealand so much. 144 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: The UK, it's perhaps surprising to see that the opportunity 145 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: for huge incomes isn't as glorious as it may seem. 146 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: What if people you've spoken to said about the lifestyle 147 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: and cost of living. 148 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 3: There, Yeah, that's right. 149 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 4: So yeah, in the stories for both moving to Australia 150 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 4: and the UK, we actually talk to the people running 151 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 4: those Facebook groups that help people move. So Kiwi's moving 152 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 4: to Victoria and kiwis in London, and so the guy 153 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 4: who's running Kiwi's in London, he was saying it's great 154 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 4: for certain skills, you know, like trade's. 155 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 3: He called it actually a paradise for trades in the 156 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 3: UK at the moment. 157 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 4: Nanny's sort of tried and true job for a Kiwi's 158 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 4: moving across to the UK, and he said there's great money. 159 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 3: To do live in workers and nanny. 160 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 4: Other jobs not so easy if you're looking to be 161 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 4: a receptionist or an administrator. He said, there's lots of competition. 162 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 4: You know, in Auckland you might face, you know, a 163 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 4: couple of thousand people looking for the same job. It 164 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 4: can be millions in London. On the other side of it, 165 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 4: you know, there's always professionals that go to London and 166 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 4: it's like a magnetic lure for them. They're going there 167 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 4: for big salaries already, you know, they're highly trained and 168 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 4: they can. 169 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 3: Progress their careers. 170 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 4: We talked to one couple they called Danny l and 171 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 4: Lee Mackenzie and they've been living in rodor Ruin. Danniel's 172 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 4: a librarian and Lee's a musician and when COVID sort 173 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 4: of dried up the musical opportunities for Lee in Rohodoru, 174 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 4: that together with the cost of living pressures and the 175 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 4: fact that Lee has a British citizenship encouraged them just 176 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 4: to go and try their luck over there. So they've 177 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 4: moved over to Sheffield in the sort of mid north 178 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 4: west of the UK and they're getting on great. Like 179 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 4: danny Al was saying, there's just not much opportunity to 180 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 4: progress as the library here because there's not many libraries. 181 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 4: And when she got there, she's now in charge of 182 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 4: three out of fifteen libraries in her local district. She's 183 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 4: close to like famous libraries. And Lee is singing at 184 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 4: beer festivals and in the pub scene. And yeah, they're 185 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 4: both thriving and they're on salaries equal or better to 186 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:25,319 Speaker 4: New Zealand and cheaper. 187 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,559 Speaker 1: In what are the supermarket and fuel prices like in 188 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: both Australia. 189 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 3: And the UK. 190 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: We've got to give these kids moving to London some relief. 191 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, if you move to London then that's 192 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 4: definitely your favorite. The supermarkets are a lot cheaper from 193 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 4: what we've seen and what people say an acdotally, one 194 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 4: person who just moved from the Herald across to London 195 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 4: was saying Kiwi fruit is cheaper in London, and dairy, 196 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 4: which is sort of hard to understand. Dairy in particular 197 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 4: can be three quarters or even half the price in 198 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,079 Speaker 4: the UK. To hear, Australia is also we found was 199 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 4: also a bit cheaper countdown compared to war, but the 200 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 4: costs less pronounced. So and then when it comes to petrol, 201 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 4: Australia is the cheapest. End Z comes in next. And 202 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 4: then the UK I think feeling sort of geopolitical pressures, 203 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 4: having a bit of a fuel crisis with gas prices 204 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 4: going up. 205 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 2: Petrol hitting an average of one hundred and fifty point 206 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 2: one pence a liter and that's the highest it's been 207 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 2: since November, and diesel hitting one hundred and fifty eight 208 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 2: point three pence a liter. Why the spike. Well, when 209 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 2: we woke up to news of those missiles in Iran 210 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 2: on Friday, the price of oil sword temporarily and despite 211 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: that settling, we are feeling those echoes at the pumps 212 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,479 Speaker 2: combined with a weeker pound compared to the dollar. 213 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 4: And then just anecdotally some of the things about Australia. 214 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 4: There has been some mention about childcare being more expensive. 215 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 4: Kiwis in Australia don't have access to as much services 216 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 4: as Australians in New Zealand do, so that's some of 217 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 4: the sort of hidden challenges when you move over there. 218 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: And I've seen some comments under your articles with people 219 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: talking about taxes, fees and the like. Are there any 220 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: hidden costs that came up in your research in either country? 221 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, taxes is important, but we didn't look into it 222 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 4: too closely for these stories, so I can't really say 223 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 4: too much about that. 224 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 3: Hidden costs. 225 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 4: Like I mentioned earlier, childcare is one that just came 226 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,839 Speaker 4: up a lot in Australia UK sort of petrol prices, actually, 227 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 4: I should say in Australia, buying a car is something 228 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 4: that comes up a lot. So while the petrol might 229 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 4: be cheaper, most people talked about buying a car as 230 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 4: being quite a lot more expensive. 231 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: When you look at the numbers like this, it does 232 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: seem like, particularly in Australia, there are some slightly better 233 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: opportunities over there would you agree, and do you think 234 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: the New Zealand government needs to do anything to address 235 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: this to try and kind of stop people flocking overseas 236 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:48,719 Speaker 1: for greener pastures. 237 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a tough one. I mean, the key one 238 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 3: is salaries. 239 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 4: Everyone I spoke to almost that went to Australia is 240 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 4: just talking about salaries. 241 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 3: They just tend to be so much higher. 242 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 4: And when you take the higher salary and compare it 243 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 4: to house prices, it just makes a really tough pressure 244 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 4: on locals here, especially in Auckland and other major cities 245 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 4: in New Zealand. So it's difficult for the government to 246 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 4: improve those things. As a property reporter, I would almost 247 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 4: argue that government has very little impact over the housing markets, 248 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 4: so it's difficult for them to do anything substantial to 249 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 4: bring down house prices. In terms of salaries. Often it 250 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 4: goes back to sort of productivity and opportunities, doesn't it. 251 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 4: So I guess I really feel that if the government 252 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 4: can focus on things to help productivity, more job opportunities, 253 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 4: boost salaries, anything they can do to improve house prices 254 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 4: and probably more importantly a lot of things around infrastructure 255 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 4: and just daily life, you know, so that people enjoy 256 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 4: living here and don't feel the pressures of the costs 257 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 4: as much because they're enjoying a really nice life. 258 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: Do you have any thoughts on moving back to Aussie. 259 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 4: I've married someone who is on the paths in New 260 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 4: Zealand citizenship, which he's just achieved, so we're not sure yet. 261 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 4: That was sort of the main plan was to stick 262 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 4: around for her citizenship, and I guess we'll be here 263 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 4: for a while yet and after that not sure, but 264 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 4: it's always a pull back for your own family and 265 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 4: maybe the sunshine. 266 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 3: A bit warmer. 267 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: But you're from Melbourne, aren't you. Yeah, yeah, that's a 268 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: bit of a stretch. 269 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, that is at. 270 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Ben, Thank you, Chelsea. That's it 271 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: for this episode of The Front Page. You can read 272 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at enzed 273 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: Herald dot co dot nz. The Front Page is produced 274 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:43,479 Speaker 1: by Ethan Siles with sound engineer Patty Fox. I'm Chelsea Daniels. 275 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you 276 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow 277 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 3: For another look behind the headlines.