New Zealanders Are Moving to Australia in Record Numbers. Can It Get Them Back?

Summary

The video examines the record number of New Zealanders moving to Australia, driven by higher wages and better job opportunities, and the resulting brain drain. Former Prime Minister John Key and Cambridge Provost Gillian Tett discuss the economic challenges, including housing affordability, productivity, and the potential for intellectual capital flows to benefit both countries. A young lawyer shares his personal experience of doubling his salary by relocating.

• Approximately 41,000 New Zealanders moved to Australia in 2025, the highest in 12 years.
• Net citizen migration in New Zealand is at its lowest since records began in 2001.
• Former PM John Key notes that Auckland and Wellington are weak due to falling house prices, but rural areas remain strong.
• Gillian Tett argues that brain drain is not necessarily a zero-sum game and can spur innovation.
• Sean Collier, a lawyer, says he doubled his income by moving to Australia while lowering his cost of living.
• New Zealand's government introduced investor visas and tax incentives to attract wealth, but returns are limited so far.
• The video cites other countries like Poland, Ireland, and Portugal as examples of managing brain drain through incentives.