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Uncorking the Classic NZ Wine Trail

Source: New Zealand Government

WellingtonNZ and partner regions have received a major tourism and hospitality boost, putting the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail firmly in the international spotlight.

“I’m delighted to see WellingtonNZ and its regional partners championing the Classic NZ Wine Trail, weaving together some of our country’s most celebrated wine regions,” Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

“The investment we’re announcing today will help Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, and Marlborough reach new audiences and invite more visitors to savour their world-class wine, food, and stargazing. Wairarapa’s recent spotlight in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel’ list for its Dark Sky Reserve shows the region is already turning heads globally. 

“It’s fantastic to see a campaign encouraging travellers to slow down, explore beyond the usual hotspots, and discover the rich flavours and experiences which make this trail so special.”

The $991,000 campaign, led by WellingtonNZ with regional partners, will promote Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, and Marlborough to Australian visitors.

“By backing this campaign, we’re not just promoting great wine, we’re inviting visitors to experience the heart and soul of our regions,” Louise Upston says. 

Funding comes from the Regional Tourism Boost (Round 2), part of the Government’s $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package. It builds on a similar initiative earlier this year to now include hospitality offerings as part of the campaigns.  

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Great South tourism boost showcases Southern Way

Source: New Zealand Government

Great South will receive $393,000 to launch a campaign putting the Southern Way and the region’s authentic hospitality firmly on the map for international visitors, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston announced today.

“I’m delighted to see Great South and its partners working together to highlight the unique experiences of the lower South Island and help build lasting connections with international travellers,” Louise Upston says.

“This investment will help the region reach new audiences and invite more visitors to discover the wild beauty, rich flavours, and warm hospitality that make the south so special. 

“It’s fantastic to see a campaign that encourages travellers to look beyond the usual destinations and experience the true heart of southern New Zealand.”

The $393,000 campaign, led by Great South with regional partners, will encourage Australian travellers, especially from the Gold Coast, to explore the Southern Way with a focus on itineraries, regional events, and Southern hospitality.

This journey takes in highlights from the iconic Milford Sound in Fiordland, to the wild Catlins coastline and Dunedin’s vibrant city life, all renowned for their stunning scenery, local events, and genuine southern hospitality. 

Funding comes from the Regional Tourism Boost (Round 2), part of the Government’s $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package. It builds on a similar initiative earlier this year to now include hospitality offerings as part of the campaigns.  

“By backing the Southern Way, we’re not just promoting a destination, we’re inviting visitors to experience the spirit and stories of the south,” Louise Upston says. 

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RotoruaNZ turns up the heat with two major international tourism campaigns

Source: New Zealand Government

RotoruaNZ will receive more than $4.5 million to launch two campaigns inviting international visitors to soak up everything Rotorua and the wider North Island have to offer, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston announced today.

“I’m delighted to see RotoruaNZ leading the way with two innovative campaigns showcasing the region’s geothermal wonders, rich Māori culture, and renowned hospitality,” Louise Upston says.

“This investment will help Rotorua and its North Island partners reach new audiences, from independent travellers across Asia to Australians looking for fresh adventures. It’s been great to see strong collaboration and creative thinking encouraging visitors to go beyond the usual hotspots and discover the unique experiences that make this part of New Zealand truly unforgettable.”

The $2,025,000 “North Island x Ctrip” campaign to attract travellers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, in partnership with Ctrip and North Island regional tourism organisations.

The $2,500,000 “Kiwi North” campaign will focus on attracting people from Australia’s eastern seaboard in partnership with 14 North Island regional tourism organisations and major airlines.

“From bubbling mud pools and worldclass mountain biking in Rotorua, to beaches, vineyards, and vibrant cities across the North Island, there is something for every traveller to discover,” Louise Upston says. 

“Together, these campaigns aim to bring a fresh wave of international visitors, support local businesses, and reinforce Rotorua’s and the North Island’s reputation as must-visit destinations.”

Funding comes from the Regional Tourism Boost (Round 2), part of the Government’s $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package. It builds on a similar initiative earlier this year to now include hospitality offerings as part of the campaigns.  

“By backing these campaigns, we are not just promoting destinations, we are inviting visitors to experience the warmth, adventure, and spirit of the North Island.” 

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More visitors for Rotorua, Wellington and Great South tourism projects

Source: New Zealand Government

More international visitors will be exploring regional New Zealand next year, thanks to a $5.9 million investment from stage one of the second round of the Government’s Regional Tourism Boost, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has announced.

“We want visitors to experience more of what New Zealand has to offer, support our regions to grow their visitor economies and build lasting connections with international travellers,” Louise Upston says.

“Whether it’s stargazing under Wairarapa’s dark skies, soaking up Rotorua’s geothermal wonders, sipping wine in Hawke’s Bay, or discovering the wild south, there’s so much for visitors to enjoy. This funding means regions can highlight special deals on travel and accommodation and promote the hospitality making each one stand out.

“Three Regional Tourism Organisations will launch four campaigns to inspire travellers from Australia and East Asia to explore, stay, and dine in their regions from January 2026. 

“The regions will be connecting directly with travellers. RotoruaNZ’s partnership with Ctrip, for example, puts tailored offers in front of Asian travellers, while Australians will see fresh itineraries and limited-time deals encouraging them to go beyond the expected.”

The successful campaigns are:

  • RotoruaNZ’s “North Island x Ctrip” campaign ($2,025,000): 
    to attract travellers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, in partnership with Ctrip and North Island regional tourism organisations.
  • RotoruaNZ’s “Kiwi North” campaign ($2,500,000):
    to target people travelling from Australia’s eastern seaboard, in partnership with 14 North Island regional tourism organisations and major airlines.
  • WellingtonNZ’s “Classic NZ Wine Trail” campaign ($991,000): 
    to promote wine, food, and stargazing across Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, and Marlborough to Australian visitors.
  • Great South’s “Southern Way” campaign ($393,000):
    to encourage Australians from the Gold Coast to explore the lower South Island, with a focus on itineraries, regional events, and Southern hospitality.

The second round of the Regional Tourism Boost is part of the Government’s $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package and builds on a similar initiative earlier this year to include hospitality offerings as part of the campaigns.  

Louise Upston says there will be more to come. 

“Our Government will proudly keep backing both hospitality and tourism, promoting New Zealand experiences to overseas visitors, and building on the buzz around the Michelin Guide due to arrive next year. 

“But these campaigns are about more than promotion – they’re about helping visitors feel welcome, stay longer, and explore further.”

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Hornet tracking continues after Auckland detections

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Intensive efforts are continuing on Auckland’s North Shore to track down yellow-legged hornets, says Biosecurity New Zealand.

“This week we introduced additional teams to methodically check common nesting areas close to where hornets have been detected in Glenfield and Birkdale,” says Mike Inglis, North Commissioner, Biosecurity New Zealand.

“We are stepping up our numbers on the ground to widen the search as required, and have more than 20 focused on enhanced searches and more than 100 staff across MPI involved in this response.”

In addition to ground searches, the response includes:

  • Setting more than 180 traps in targeted areas where females have been found. Every trap is checked daily. No hornets have been found in traps to date. Additional traps are being added in areas where queen hornets are found, so the number of traps will continue to increase.
  • Introducing protein bait traps alongside existing traps. 
  • Establishing a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of independent scientific experts with expertise in the biology, ecology, and management of social wasps. The TAG has been considering options for ongoing work.
  • Encouraging public surveillance, including sending staff into the community to raise awareness. This weekend, staff will again be at local markets to share information about the hornet.

Biosecurity New Zealand is also working with industry groups to plan joint response activities for summer. The plan is being informed by advice from the recently formed TAG.

Mr Inglis says since 17 October, there have been seven confirmed queen hornets found (based on collected specimens) in the North Shore. Five of these showed evidence of nesting. All detected hornets and nests have been safely removed.

“The public response has been fantastic in looking out for these hornets and continued reporting from the public remains the best way to track them down.”

Members of the public are urged to report suspected hornets or nests, but only if they have a specimen, a clear photo, or have located a possible nest.

Reports can be made:

  • at report.mpi.govt.nz 
  • by calling Biosecurity New Zealand’s exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966.

For further information and regular updates on hornet finds, visit Yellow-legged hornet sightings in Auckland in 2025

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz 

For media enquiries, email BiosecurityNZ_media@mpi.govt.nz

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What’s fuelling the growing demand for Indian ethnic wear?

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s changing demographics in recent years is being reflected in the rising demand for Indian fashion.

The demand has been fuelled by a fast-growing Indian population, which has overtaken the Chinese community to become the country’s third-largest ethnicity, according to the 2023 Census.

Numbering almost 300,000, the Indian community loyally patronises specialist fashion outlets selling sarees, salwar kameez (top and trousers), Patiala suits, lehengas and kurtas throughout the country.

Outlets selling Indian footwear items such as mojaris, juttis and Kolhapuri chappals are also proving popular.

But non-Indian consumers are also bolstering the growing trade in ethnic garments, buying items as part of Indian festival celebrations, corporate events or Bollywood-themed parties.

A number of Indian fashion outlets can be found in South Auckland neighbourhoods such as Papatoetoe. RNZ / Blessen Tom

Not surprisingly, most of the outlets selling Indian fashion and ethnic wear can be found in Auckland, where almost 60 percent of the country’s Indian community resides.

One such outlet is Sona Sansar in the South Auckland neighbourhood of Papatoetoe, which is owned and operated by Harish Lodhia, who is also the honorary consul of Fiji in Auckland.

Naveen Talwar, manager of Sona Sansar, said he had witnessed a shift in consumer purchases as affordability in the Indian community increased.

“Increasingly we are seeing customers demanding designer sarees, and those are made from expensive silk. This is bound to happen as buying power of the community sees an uplift,” Talwar said.

“During the months of September and October, which coincides with Navratri and Diwali, demand for chaniya choli [designs] increases quite a bit.”

Chirag Ahuja, owner of Akarshan RNZ / Blessen Tom

Chirag Ahuja, owner of fashion outlet Akarshan in South Auckland, moved to New Zealand from northern India in 2007.

“I have seen a sea change in customer demand over my time in New Zealand,” Ahuja said.

“We started modestly selling readymade suits. Then, as demand increased, we gradually grew,” he said.

“Today, we have the entire range of Indian ethnic wear, from Patiala suits to Kanjivaram sarees,” he said.

“We also sell imitation jewellery, which has proven quite popular with customers not wanting anything valuable but still desire a smart look.”

TS Batra, owner of Batra’s Fashion Villa RNZ / Blessen Tom

Nearby Ahuja’s shop is Batra’s Fashion Villa, a multiple outlet store selling everything from shoes and jewellery to leather materials and clothing.

“We have been in Papatoetoe for over two decades now. Apart from the usual stuff, we also have a bridal studio that gets quite busy during the wedding season,” said TS Batra, owner of the business.

“We import everything from various parts of India, as every region has its own distinctive taste. We get stuff from Mumbai, Surat, Delhi and, of course, Punjab.

“We also sell Indian palazzos and a Pakistani suit range. We even have ladies’ size 64, which is very difficult to find in any other shop here.

“I would say the main base of our shop is Fiji-Indian customers.”

Mahesh Kumar, owner of Roopdarshan RNZ / Blessen Tom

Mahesh Kumar owns Roopdarshan outlets in the Auckland suburbs of Papatoetoe and Mt Roskill.

“Our family immigrated from Gujarat in India to Fiji, where we had a retail clothing business. Then I moved to Auckland in 1997,” Kumar said.

“Noticing there were no shops here selling Indian stuff, we started with a 60-square-metre space that was open only on weekends,” he said.

“Now with the growth in population and the subsequent demand, we have four stores.”

Kumar also expanded to Melbourne last year.

“Our most-selling items are sarees and salwar kameez,” Kumar said.

“Our low margins and huge variety have generated customer loyalty over the years, which I feel is the reason for our rapid expansion.”

AZA is a fashion store in Papatoetoe. RNZ / Blessen Tom

Indian fashion outlets in Auckland also appeal to Indo-Fijian customers, as well as those in the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities.

“Other ethnicities are slowly warming up to Indian ethnic wear in a testimony to the country’s multicultural nature,” Ahuja said.

“We see such customers shopping around for Indian clothes during Diwali and Eid, or when they get invited to Indian homes for dinners or celebrations.”

Indian ethnic items were also in demand for people attending corporate events or Bollywood-themed evenings, Kumar said.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Steady increase in international visitors, hotel chain chief says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hotels in places like Queenstown and Auckland would likely have days where they were at capacity over summer, Sudima Hotels’ Les Morgan says. 123RF

A hotel chain says they are seeing a steady increase in international visitors across the country.

Stats NZ figures show visitor arrivals from across the Tasman reached 1.48 million in the year ended September, up from 1.33m the year before.

Overall visitor arrivals were 3.43m for the year, an increase of 197,000 from the prior year. Aside from Australia, the biggest increases were from the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.

Sudima Hotels chief operation officer Les Morgan told Morning Report business had been good with winter meeting their expectations and good growth continuing.

“Australians especially but all markets are up, maybe with the exception of the Chinese which remains flat.”

The level of domestic activity was harder to measure, but New Zealand corporate clients tended to be travelling and attending conferences a bit more in the last quarter, he said.

But internationally conference numbers were down 12 percent which may be why tourism levels were not back to where they once were, he said.

Queenstown and Christchurch were performing well in terms of tourist numbers, he said.

“Christchurch is looking really good, I’ve recently come back from a sales mission in China and the interest in Christchurch is very strong, people are looking to extend stays there, Rotorua’s been solid – the exception is Auckland for reasons we all know, but the rest of the country is looking great.”

It was likely there would be days over the summer where places like Queenstown and Christchurch were at capacity, he said.

Auckland’s issues included the lack of major events, the fact that the domestic economy was still flat, “and from a hoteliers point of view there’s a huge increase in inventory” which made it tough, he said.

“I think the summer will probably see occupancy levels around the mid 70s [percent], so still plenty of capacity in Auckland.”

The industry largely supported the introduction of a bed tax in Auckland, he said.

“Hoteliers in the last few years we have come around and believe a bed tax is potentially the way forward but we’ve got some concerns about how that might be implemented.”

Morgan said for the first time in four or five years the industry was feeling very optimistic.

The tourism industry was hoping for a big improvement in the short to medium term with the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland and the economy slowly recovering but steadily, he said.

“I think the most pleasing thing is that, you know post GFC [global financial crisis] tourism really bounced back and kind of caught us by surprise, put all sorts of pressure on infrastructure and our communities and we’re not seeing that.

“I think the recovery’s is nice and slow and steady and we’re much more planned and you know I think that gives us a great deal of confidence that things are going to be great.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Allan Bunting stands down as NZ Rugby seeks new Black Ferns coach

Source: Radio New Zealand

Allan Bunting. www.photosport.nz

Allan Bunting will leave his post as post as Black Ferns head coach as New Zealand Rugby announces a recruitment process following a review into the failure to defend their World Cup crown.

Bunting said he won’t seek reinstatement after his three-year tenure ended with a third placing at the World Cup, having lost to Canada in the semi-finals.

Bunting said he could still reflect on his time with pride.

“It’s been an absolute honour to lead the Black Ferns in this position. I’m incredibly proud of what we set out to achieve together, from building connections, growing the depth of our wāhine, and enhancing this group to represent Aotearoa with mana on and off the field,” the 50-year-old Bunting said.

“I care deeply about women’s rugby in Aotearoa. Over the past 14 years, I’ve been honoured to contribute across both the sevens and fifteens programmes, experience pinnacle events such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Series and World Cups. To have played a role in the growth of the women’s game during this time has been a privilege.

“What I value most are the connections I’ve made and the people who I’ve met throughout my journey. I’m energised for the next chapter and look forward to new opportunities to lead, grow and contribute within high performance sport.”

2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup: New Zealand Black Ferns performing the haka ahead of the match against France, 2025. ©INPHO/Billy Stickland / PHOTOSPORT

A long-serving assistant and then head coach of the successful Black Ferns Sevens, Bunting succeeded Wayne Smith as Black Ferns “Director of Rugby” in February 2023, in the wake of their World Cup triumph in Auckland.

His announcement came as NZR said it wanted to appoint a new head coach by Christmas “marking the next chapter in the evolution of the women’s game”.

In a statement, NZR’s general manager of rugby and performance, Chris Lendrum, said an “extensive review” of the Black Ferns future programme had highlighted a need for change

He said while progress had been made on and off the field, “the team ultimately fell short of their goal of winning the Women’s Rugby World Cup”.

“Following a thorough review process post the Women’s Rugby World Cup, we are now inviting applications for one of the most significant leadership roles in New Zealand sport,” Lendrum said.

“We are heading into an incredibly exciting four-year cycle of the professional women’s game, with a new competition calendar and the first Women’s British and Irish Lions tour in 2027. A robust process to ensure we find the best candidate to take the Black Ferns forward is imperative.”

Liana Mikaele-Tu’u. www.photosport.nz

Lendrum paid tribute to Bunting.

“We entrusted the Black Ferns programme to Allan in 2023 because he is a proven winner with a track record of creating conditions for success in the women’s game, and empowering our wāhine toa to represent our nation with pride and authenticity. His Black Ferns have done just that,” Lendrum said.

“The positive impact he has had on the women’s game is immense. He has been a part of the growth of our women’s pathways and the development of players, while remaining focused on a culture which nurtures and supports people to thrive.

“The Black Ferns have reached a new level of professionalism in their approach to a high-performance environment. Allan and his team have delivered a strong foundation for the next four-year cycle.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Government exploring monitoring of undersea cables

Source: Radio New Zealand

Starboard’s Mat Brown shows the platform monitoring for subsea cable risks off the UK coast. RNZ / Phil Pennington

An ocean-watching entrepreneur engaged in a trial to assess threats to subsea cables says New Zealand needs to fix its blind spot.

There was “zero” monitoring of the risks even though the cables provided “the lifeblood of our internet, backbones and systems that drive our country”, said chief executive of Starboard Maritime Intelligence, Trent Fulcher.

“We’re hugely reliant on them now, the more that come in we’re going to be even more reliant.

“So, you know, having zero visibility of the risk on top of [that] is a real risk in my view,” Fulcher told RNZ at the opening of Starboard’s new Wellington headquarters on Thursday.

A recently completed trial with the Transport Ministry had found risks from fishing boats getting too close to cables, he said.

“The chances of us getting hit tomorrow with sabotage is probably quite low, but preparing for the future if geopolitical dynamics change is really what we’re talking about.”

Over a million kilometres of subsea data cables power the internet, while lying among them are also gas, power and other pipelines.

Hyperscale datacentre developers like Meta and Google are rolling out thousands of kilometres more of their own cables with ever-larger capacities.

But fears and accusations of sabotage, often aimed at and dismissed by Russia or China, have been growing.

Exploring protection ‘to all critical underwater infrastructure’

The ministry told RNZ some monitoring was done of power and telecommunications cables by Transpower and Southern Cross.

“The ministry is actively exploring how monitoring and protection could be extended to all critical underwater infrastructure across New Zealand,” it said in a short statement on Thursday.

Fulcher said he understood the next step was that a paper would be prepared ahead of government funding to operationalise the monitoring.

The ministry did not provide information to RNZ about that.

Starboard had to also cover off the other half of the equation, Australia, since most local cables land there, Fulcher said.

“So we’re also having conversations with the Australian-equivalent government agencies and those same commercial cable companies about a trans-Tasman protection service.”

Starboard Maritime Intelligence chief executive Trent Fulcher. Sarah Booher

‘We can see you’

Four ministers including the Prime Minister were at the office opening.

Christopher Luxon was briefed on threats to subsea cables and issued a caution about that some months ago.

“Subsea cable protection is really important”, and the firm’s technology could help with that, Luxon told RNZ on Thursday.

The six-year-old Starboard, born with government funding and out of an attempt to set up a space science enterprise in Alexandra that did not quite work out as planned, had just finished the trial with the Ministry of Transport, Fulcher said.

It detected a number of fishing boats trespassing into protection zones around cable landfall.

“We’re able to get on the radio and say, ‘hey, do you know you’re in a cable protection zone?’ And quite often they’re like, ‘no, I’m not. I’m fishing over here.’ We’re like, ‘no, we can see you'”.

‘State-sponsored activity in our waters’

Fulcher said their NZ-built algorithms had become adept at spotting ships “hovering” near cables. Anchor dragging, deliberate or not, is a real threat and has regularly damaged cables in the likes of the Baltic Sea and in waters off Taiwan.

“The main areas that we’ve been looking at and seeing sabotage are in the North Sea and the South China Sea.

“Now, that kind of activity, we don’t see that in New Zealand.

“But what we are seeing is increasingly similar state-sponsored activity in our waters, without naming names.

“So I think some of these state-sponsored actors understand where our assets are.”

Pushed to name names, Fulcher said “sanctioned countries” – Russia, China, “you name it”.

“Now that we understand what that risk looks like, we can be monitoring in New Zealand if that takes place.”

Starboard’s platform is now used in over 30 countries to give a near real-time view from satellites and sensors into software that fuses billions of bits of ship location data daily.

Christopher Luxon talks maritime intelligence with Mat Brown of Starboard. Phil Pennington

“It’s exciting,” said Luxon. “You’ve got a great platform.”

It had been proven against illegal fishing across the Pacific.

Its uses were spreading, which could include “obviously the need for us to protect our undersea cables”, the prime minister said.

Fulcher said the trial had shown there was “100 percent a need” to monitor NZ’s cables, not just the data ones but others.

“We had numerous examples where vessels, mainly fishing vessels, were coming into the cable protection zones, fishing where they weren’t supposed to,” he said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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‘Painfully easy’: Why more Kiwis are choosing to go to Australia

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sean Collier from Whangārei says it was a “painfully easy” decision to move to Melbourne two years ago. Supplied / Sean Collier

A 27-year-old says his decision to move from Whangārei to Melbourne was “painfully easy” as it meant a decreased cost of living and massively increased wages.

Far more Kiwis are leaving the country than coming back with the latest Stats NZ data showing nearly 73,000 New Zealanders left the country in the past year, while only 26,000 returned.

Young Kiwis aged 18 to 30 made up 38 percent of those departures, mostly heading across the Tasman.

One of them was Sean Collier, a 27-year-old lawyer and stand-up comedian from Whangārei who moved to Melbourne two years ago.

“It was a no brainer. It was just a large economy and a relatively short distance away from home,” Collier said.

He said in the past year he had seen about half of his friend group from university move to Melbourne.

“It makes me wonder who’s left at home sometimes.”

Collier said he moved to Melbourne a couple of years ago and at that time he found it relatively easy to get a job which paid almost double what he had been earning in New Zealand.

Accommodation costs were similar to New Zealand but supermarket shopping was a lot cheaper, he said.

“I’d say across the board cost of living decreased, wages massively increased, to be honest it was a pretty painfully easy decision and a lot of my generation have that view.”

Collier said he was relatively reluctant to make the move “but it was driven entirely by economic necessity”.

“I would like to raise my kids in New Zealand one day but at present frankly it’s economically inconceivable for most people.”

Collier said when he was working in New Zealand “it was basically pay check to pay check” and that was without kids and not living in lavish accommodation.

“I can’t even imagine what it’s like for people with like a young child to feed over there at the moment working just a normal job, yeah it’s just not realistic for a lot of people.”

There needed to be a hard conversation in New Zealand about what the country could offer to young people, he said.

In a global environment it was relatively easy for people to move and New Zealand workers were in demand and you could not just expect them to stay, he said.

A major help would be a pathway to home ownership which a lot of people viewed as completely hopeless, he said.

“Things like scrapping the first home buyers grant, the optics of that to my generation are terrible, you know it’s essentially the government saying we also think you’re never going to own property.”

The government last year confirmed it would scrap the First Home Grants scheme saying it would recoup $245 million over four years.

Some kind of student loan forgiveness scheme could attract people back, he said.

“There’s a lot of people that really would like to return but it’s just like why would you take a pay cut like that without some sort of economic benefit to you?”

It would be easier to own a home in Australia as there were more government first home buyer schemes available, he said.

“Just on top of that you just can earn more money here … like I know people that work in a cafe that earn more than my tradie friends back home … it’s outrageous.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand