Migrating to NZ - a big mistake!

[maroro]

Settling in NZ will be the biggest mistake of your life. High living costs, low income levels and high unemployment mean most people here cannot save money. The weather is cold and wet for most of the year making your dream of a great outdoor lifestyle a nightmare. NZ has one of the highest crime ratios to population in the world with an out of control meth problem. Your house or car will sooner or later be broken into, its a part of being a Kiwi. NZ still hasn't resolved its issues with Maori and a lot of them are pissed off and hell bent on making the rest of NZ suffer for past injustices and present inequalities. If their claims to sovereignty, which are actually legitimate under the Treaty of Waitangi, are ever accepted, it could turn the country upside down. NZ is a peaceful looking country when you are a tourist but under the surface it is a highly segregated social time bomb. NZ has a clean green image but the reality of being a country dependent on agriculture and dairy farming is that nitrogen, chemical and effluent runoff causes highly polluted algae infested waterways. Swim, drink and eat anything out of the water at your own risk. If NZ is such a great country to live, why is it thousands of Kiwis are packing their bags for Australia for a better life?

[JandM]

Well, well - this sounds like a very one-sided view of existence, for a very first post on the forum. Sorry if you've had a hard time, but how about giving some background to your opinion, so others can see what weight to give it? Where did you come from? What are your skills? How long have you been in NZ? Where do you live? Do you have personal experience of the situations you're talking about above, or are they just tabloid headlines? How many of your neighbours and colleagues have you asked about their savings, or lack of them, for instance?

[newarrival]

It seems it was time for another one of those threads

[Elaine_NZ]

Settling in NZ will be the biggest mistake of your life. High living costs, low income levels and high unemployment mean most people here cannot save money. The weather is cold and wet for most of the year making your dream of a great outdoor lifestyle a nightmare. NZ has one of the highest crime ratios to population in the world with an out of control meth problem. Your house or car will sooner or later be broken into, its a part of being a Kiwi. NZ still hasn't resolved its issues with Maori and a lot of them are pissed off and hell bent on making the rest of NZ suffer for past injustices and present inequalities. If their claims to sovereignty, which are actually legitimate under the Treaty of Waitangi, are ever accepted, it could turn the country upside down. NZ is a peaceful looking country when you are a tourist but under the surface it is a highly segregated social time bomb. NZ has a clean green image but the reality of being a country dependent on agriculture and dairy farming is that nitrogen, chemical and effluent runoff causes highly polluted algae infested waterways. Swim, drink and eat anything out of the water at your own risk. If NZ is such a great country to live, why is it thousands of Kiwis are packing their bags for Australia for a better life?

Or it could be the best thing that ever happened to you, provided you're resourceful and good at handling your finances. But you are right, there are some problems that everyone who's lived here is probably aware of:
- costly (and sometimes poorly executed) services; but then you just find another provider that suits you better,
- ridiculous real estate prices relative to housing standard; again, you search long enough until you've found the place or have your own home built,
- I'm still undecided about income levels, your view will probably depend on where you're from originally (I for one know I'll have a much higher salary than I would have in my country of origin),
- the climate is oceanic, nothing that can be done about that, but there are areas that are drier (Alexandra), wetter (Greymouth), sunnier (Nelson), warmer (Auckland and Far North), windier (Wellington) than others,
- I agree with the outdoors statement - the majority of walking tracks I've been at are located in rainy areas and were thus horribly unpleasant due to mud and standing water. There's a general lack of accessible outdoor areas, everything is fenced off! So unless you have a vehicle and tolerate touristy spots, you won't be able to enjoy the outdoors. I also miss proper spruce and/or beech forests,
- well if you read newspapers and watch news then NZ is as horribly dangerous as any other country. So don't. I haven't encountered a crime-related problem (yet) but I do detest the teenager drinking/driving culture here, I've never seen anything like it before, there's also a fair amount of bullying,
- I somewhat agree on the Maori issue, it's sad how artificially it's being 'resolved' (by renaming land features to Maori names, seriously?) where the Maori representatives themselves are very passive (I was supposed to consult with Runanga office for my research, needless to say they never responded to my enquiry).
- yes, the society here has it's problems and as an immigrant you may suffer certain discrimination (albeit nobody will ever admit) despite many employers boast with their EEO policy. A friend of mine also told me that on occasion they would be frowned upon on the street (again, by teenagers) just because of their ethnicity! But I do find adults (who are obviously more mature) find your accent/name/looks interesting and treat you with respect.

It's not all that great here but it's not all that bad either. The great part is, when you've had enough or need a change, you can move to another part of the country or go overseas for a while (or forever).
I wonder what percentage of Kiwis who leave for Australia eventually return to NZ, does anyone know?

[Lnapier]

I disagree with the this post.
There may be many people leaving NZ for Australia, But i think people from any country do the same.
Its a Nice , peaceful, Beautiful country. I will say way better than many other developed countries.
For Record, one of my friend who Moved to England always tell me NOT to leave NZ. trust me. He just do not like it there and is moving out soon from there and planning to come back to NZ.
well every person do have different opinion but NZ is SWEET AS mate !

[Hagabel]

Sorry if it did not work out for you. Your post is very one sided though, understandably if you have had a tough time but maybe elaborate a little. Have you looked at other countries?

[maroro]

Over 20 years, lived in Porirua, Manukau, Waitakere and BOP. Does everyone new to this forum need to answer inquisition questions or provide CVs to justify an opinion?

[catt]

Sounds like you are very angry with your lot........sorry you have had a rough time but life is what you make it. For me I love it here wouldn't live anywhere else and I have been in a lot of countries in my lifetime. If your not happy then leave maybe the only way forward. Good luck in whatever you do

[newarrival]

Over 20 years, lived in Porirua, Manukau, Waitakere and BOP. Does everyone new to this forum need to answer inquisition questions or provide CVs to justify an opinion?

I am impressed that you are still here if you hate it so much after 20 years?!

[kiwieagle]

Over 20 years, lived in Porirua, Manukau, Waitakere and BOP. Does everyone new to this forum need to answer inquisition questions or provide CVs to justify an opinion?

I think it was more how you said it:

biggest mistake of your life... making your dream of a great outdoor lifestyle... Your house or car...NZ is a peaceful looking country when you are a tourist

It comes across as absolute. Perhaps if you had said, "Moving to NZ was the biggest mistake of my life... my dream of a great outdoor life... etc" it would come across as you sharing your experience. A lot of people have a different experience. I think you make a lot of valid points but have left no room for discussion or expansion. Also, if you're not a troll or some kind of pot stirrer, you'll be very surprised to hear that most trolls begin their routine with exactly this kind of post. If you truly are trying to share your experience, you've done it in a way that triggers warnings for people.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to leave a place if one's family is there or if one has had a hard time making ends meet. So, it's not actually that surprising that someone would have little option but to stay a long time in a place they don't like.