# Please list positive aspects of NZ



## masonchard

Have just been reading various threads and are dismayed to find so many negative comments and feelings on living in NZ
Has anybody got anything good to say please ?


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## kaz101

Strangely enough I was thinking the same thing but as I've not been there I can't help...


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## TGM

masonchard said:


> Have just been reading various threads and are dismayed to find so many negative comments and feelings on living in NZ
> Has anybody got anything good to say please ?


Oh hard question. Scenery is pretty great but then most countries have pleasant places. It's closeness to Australia is a benefit too because when you've had enough of New Zealand it's easy to hop across the ditch. Other than that? I can't think of anything that Australia doesn't do better.


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## Soonout

Lovely scenery in the South Island, pleasant people etc. Nowt else.


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## Shouganai

Wow, people are negative about NZ. Its difficult as a place to live because there are not enough people. They really need to subsidise job creation, i.e. tourism, and have compulsory savings scheme like Australia. No savings in that country. I found rural people very stuck in their ways, defensive and insecure. Every NZ'er I have known is predatory sex maniacs, though that is I guess a generalisation. They are pretty tough-minded people, probably have to be to deal with very intimidating Maoris and pacific islanders. Many years ago I met 2 NZ girls who I swear would have had sex with me if I bought them a bottle of wine. That said, Australia tends to attract every countries lost souls. 
I swear I feel i'm in Australia when I'm there, until I talk to the people. I even presented $AU at a carpark in Auckland. he he. She was none too pleased. Basically they hate us because they are good. 
Seriously some of the negativity might be Aussies teasing them. We out-number them 4x. Mind you, a lot of NZ'ers tend not to like their own country values, though most of them leave for work and places with greater population. They are very opinionated, which I like. The problem is they can be insecure and predatory. Same as Australians, except they would have bought the girl the wine, then slept with them when they passed out. Honestly, that's the sense I get about NZ men I have known. All about conquest. Maybe that's why little Spain and little Napoleon had to colonise or fight the world. Little England too. If only NZ could save, then they could do some real damage.


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## v_williams

As a NZ-er, I'd say the people are friendly, the place is beautiful (try a drive from Christchurch to Greymouth...amazing), and it's one of those places where you can still have that community spirit.


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## gloucester_geezer

Hello all,

I can agree with the last comment ref a beautiful place.. .we drove from Auckland down to Wellington, crossed the straits and once on the South Island it was a fantastic place. Nelson, down the West Coast, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford and back up to Christchurch. Absolutely stunning place, crystal clear rivers to fish in, scenery to take your breath away. I would love to move down there if it were possible. We are currently looking to move to Australia, have family there, with the hope of moving across to NZ once residents in Aus. Cant really see another way to do it.

I can see why people comment on low population etc. but for some of us that would be a plus. Just look at how the UK has developed by letting in all and sundry! And in saying that I am not blaming those that come, it is the UK governments, all of them, that are to blame. Too soft and too scared to stand up and make a decision. To control entry to your country is a good thing and I applaud NZ and Aus for doing so. Paul


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## CdnKiwi

There are lots of good things about NZ, as there are about every place. There are lots of negatives too, just as there are about every place. Perhaps it is easier to "vent" about stuff on msg boards - let's face it, most of us don't feel the need to go online to sing the praises about something most of the time, only grumble about it when we're unhappy.

That being said, NZ *is* a very small country with a very small population, which can frustrate people who are used to bigger, more, or who are "outsiders" trying to fit in. There are lots of friendly people, beautiful scenery, and things to do, but it can be hard on immigrants trying to find regular work and fit into their new communities.

*All things should be considered when choosing a place to live, not just the scenery.*


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## Flyingfoxnz

*It's not that bad )*

Hi!

I'm a kiwi, so possibly a bit biased, but I reckon NZ is alright, aye. 

Like any country though, it's not home and you're likely going to have some difficulties getting settled - The culture is laid back and friendly in general, but like anywhere there are some racist, arrogant, or just plain annoying people. 

I'm living in Switzerland with my German husband and have had to go thru the same process. 

In the end though there are some great people in NZ and it's just a case of putting yourself out there to find them and the kind of life you want. 

NZ is by no means a raging metropolis of action in the 'urban' sense, but the larger cities do offer great cultural events + shopping + night life. It depends what you value in your lifestyle. Switzerland for example is in the hub of Europe but life here is very conservative and rural; even in Zürich. In fact it's not much bigger than Auckland NZ.

It seems that this forum isn't really buzzing with information and a lot seems quite negative... It's not representative of NZ, honest! 

Either way I wish you all the best.

Take care
FF


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## Guest

Hmmm... good things to say about NZ. WEll - Friendly people, cheap secondhand cars, variety of housing, lifestyle, fantastic scenery, awesome climate, great roads for driving, good education system, over generous welfare system, best beaches, best skifields,delicous foods, clean and green, safe and no 1 place for kids to grow up in, great shopping, cafes and restaurants, fejoas! and kiwifruit, bungy jumping,marmite and L & P, hi tech and up to date with technology, lots of cows!- which eat lots of green grass, loads of fresh fruit and veges, free to go to hospital,free education,freedom of speech and worship,low unemployment, shall I stop...


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## gloucester_geezer

kiwibird said:


> Hmmm... good things to say about NZ. WEll - Friendly people, cheap secondhand cars, variety of housing, lifestyle, fantastic scenery, awesome climate, great roads for driving, good education system, over generous welfare system, best beaches, best skifields,delicous foods, clean and green, safe and no 1 place for kids to grow up in, great shopping, cafes and restaurants, fejoas! and kiwifruit, bungy jumping,marmite and L & P, hi tech and up to date with technology, lots of cows!- which eat lots of green grass, loads of fresh fruit and veges, free to go to hospital,free education,freedom of speech and worship,low unemployment, shall I stop...


Using my skills of analysis... I am getting the feeling that you rather like NZ Kiwibird!! 
I can relate to some of the things you have listed.... having only spent 3 weeks there, but found it to be a wonderful place. Trouble with most Brits is... and this is based on a lot of travelling whilst in the RAF for 23 years, that once we get away most of us then want the place to be like England! Which is nonsense of course but is pretty much how people are. I don't feel that way myself, having spent time in Cyprus I started learning Greek and Turkish so that I could speak to the locals... not needed in NZ of course but mixing is a key point to me. Why go away and mix purely with expats?! 

To enjoy a new place you have to 'fit in' with the existing structure and therefore with the locals and the local way of life. Any place is what you make it.. .sit around and moan and you will feel negative, as some obviously do feel from comments on here, but get involved and things should be different.

Paul


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## Guest

Hi Paul...

Your comments are so true, and nice to hear a more balanced perspective -every country has its good and bad points, and its good to go to another country WITHOUT any preconcieved ideas or expectations -and enjoy the country for the good things it has to offer -and New Zealand has plenty of those!. My hubby is a Pom and we returned to England to live a few years back -while there was lots about England we loved and miss (and still do), and having travelled widely, we now appreciate fully the great place NZ is.This is NOT aplace to'get ahead' or have huge financial sucess, but a place for a laid-back and quality lifestyle- you can't beat it!


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## rayof

You have cheered me up! I loke your positiveness!


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## Andre Young

New Zealand is really clean.

New Zealand has an active local music scene.


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## rayof

Andre Young said:


> New Zealand is really clean.
> 
> New Zealand has an active local music scene.


I'm really looking forward to discovering new music, as a huge music fan I try and attend as many gigs over here in the uk as possible.

NZ band making waves over here at the mo are (I think there called) so so modern!


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## Soonout

I'd have said pretty much the opposite but "hell' who cares, just 3 months to go and off to 2008 and not 1968.


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## marcrombie

I think the environment is the best part of New Zealand... The breath taking scenery.. it's the first thing that pops into my mind whenever i heard the word New Zealand plus the cows in the meadow....


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## TGM

marcrombie said:


> I think the environment is the best part of New Zealand... The breath taking scenery.. it's the first thing that pops into my mind whenever i heard the word New Zealand plus the cows in the meadow....


But it's a shame it's so polluted. Still, at least they're trying to clean some of the agro-chemical and agent orange damage now. 

Laid back lifestlye often means just sitting back and doing nothing . Which is fine if you've got nothing better to do with your life but that's not to everyone's fancy. 

I think that is why I enjoy Australia, plenty to do, people have get up and go. Anything seems possible here, I think that's probably why so many people are leaving NZ and coming here in ever increasng numbers.

Pretty soon NZ will be full of benefit claimants, retired people and others who are happy to sit back and let it all wash over them.


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## Guest

Umm TGM - are we on the same planet? Agro chemical & agent orange damage and pollution???? Have I missed something all these years? Sure the MAJOR cities have woodfire smog over Winter, but I have been to London and US cities - now THAT's pollution!! And the reason alot of people are moving to Oz is because of the higher wages to be had- MONEY!! O, and a 'laid back lifestyle' does not often mean just sitting back and doing nothing -it means compared to other 'fast paced places', NZ is relaxed, casual, not so driven, but somewhere to work AND play- we're not all bums!


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## TGM

kiwibird said:


> Umm TGM - are we on the same planet? Agro chemical & agent orange damage and pollution???? Have I missed something all these years? Sure the MAJOR cities have woodfire smog over Winter, but I have been to London and US cities - now THAT's pollution!! And the reason alot of people are moving to Oz is because of the higher wages to be had- MONEY!! O, and a 'laid back lifestyle' does not often mean just sitting back and doing nothing -it means compared to other 'fast paced places', NZ is relaxed, casual, not so driven, but somewhere to work AND play- we're not all bums!


Scoop: Truth About '100% Pure NZ Advertising Campaign
"Agent Orange was manufactured in New Zealand from about 1962 until 1987. Dioxin has a 30-year envelop and its effects would continue to poison the people and environment until at least 2017. [22]"

Agent Orange Dump Found Under NZ Town
(click on link)


"AUCKLAND - New Zealand supplied Agent Orange chemicals to the United States military during the Vietnam war, a government minister has revealed.

The disclosure led to immediate claims that New Zealand was in breach of the Geneva convention and could face a flood of lawsuits from veterans and Vietnamese.

Transport Minister Harry Duynhoven said the highly toxic chemical was sent to a United States base in the Philippines during the 1960s.

"The information that has been given to me is that products used to make Agent Orange were shipped from New Plymouth to Subic Bay in the Philippines," he told the Sunday News newspaper"
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0109-09.htm



Agro Chemicals
"New Zealand farmers used a total of 820,000 tons of fertilizers to their croplands in 1999 (204 kg/ha of cropland each year, about twice as much as the U.S. and 220 percent of the world average). New Zealand also uses about twice as much pesticides per hectare of cropland (2,215 kg/ha – 1996 data) than the U.S. [15] More recent data is not available."

"n a report titled 'The State of Our Land Environment,' [36] the NZ Ministry for the Environment makes disturbing revelations about the state of New Zealand's environment. The following is a summary of highlights in Chapter 8, including excerpts.

"- Many thousands of sites including New Zealand's agricultural and horticultural sites, forests and parks, sports fields and market gardens, sawmills and timber treatment sites, industrial and urban zones are contaminated with cocktails of persistent toxic substances that are likely to pose an immediate or long-term hazard to human health and the environment. The actual extent of land contamination is not known."

"- Major sources of soil, water and air contamination in New Zealand are chemical manufacturing and use; pesticides, herbicides, fungicide manufacturing and use; timber treatment; paint; coal and mining sites; the transport sector; intensive farming and agricultural activities (soil contamination occurs from excessive animal effluent, pesticides, fertilizer residues, storage areas and dump sites)… and other industrial activities not listed."

"- Sawmills and timber treatment sites. Chemical treatment is used to treat Radiata pine, the dominant timber [90 percent of all timber] in the country. "The main chemical preparations are antisapstain fungicides [including] boron (an insecticide), LOSP (an insecticide …) and CCA (a heavy metal formulation of copper, chromium and arsenic which acts as a dual insecticide and fungicide)." [36] - Since the late 1940s organochlorine pesticides were used extensively in the sawmills including pentachlorophenol (PCP) to combat sapstain fungi, a mixture of PCP with diesel oil used as a preservative, and chlordane used in the manufacture of wood products (e.g., plywood) and in the paper industry."
Scoop: Truth About '100% Pure NZ Advertising Campaign

Unfortunately many New Zealanders believe the myth of 100% Pure NZ, or at best aware of it but content to let it all wash over them.


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## Guest

O TGM is that what!- When you said "shame about the pollution" etc... you made it sound like NZhas SUCCCHHH a big problem with this??!! Agent orange was made by NZ for the war effort and disgracefully dumped the excesss under PART OF ONE TOWN in NZ -appalling to be sure -but no less so than say Billingham in the Northeast of England -quoted as "one of the most toxic places on the planet", "where even the birds cough"- specialising in chemical production for world war 1 and 2, and beyond to 2008. 

And the pesticides farmers now use come within strict world health guidelines, and were no less toxic than that which most western nations have used. All the more 'shocking' because NZ is CLEAN and GREEN - which really is about the air quality, lack of rubbish, and strict MAF and environmental rules etc...which is not the case in so many countries today. 

The poisons used in timber treatment etc that you quote are unfortunately part and parcel of industry -anywhere in the world,-industry would have to come to a complete halt otherwise.(Hardly practical)

Reality is probably EVERY country has dirty secrets and skeletons in the closet-things the media have a field day with.Looking atyourposts ,it appears you are pretty good at digging up the juicest about NZ! The whole world is in a sorry mess, and there seems to be a lot of negativity around. There ARE still lots we have to be thankful for in NZ when we look at what is happening in other countries, and I for one want to promote the good things -of which there are many!!


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## TGM

"NZhas SUCCCHHH a big problem with this" you've put your finger on it, lots of problems in proportion to the number of people living there. As I said, its a shame but at least they are starting to clean some of it up now. Some of the problem though is finding out where half the stuff is.

The issues I highlighted are just a tiny fraction of the problems New Zealand has, they were just some more well known links that I had to hand at short notice. 

Perhaps many Kiwis really don't know much about what is going on outside their own town? they do tend to be quite insular, happy, laid back sorts and show little regard for what is going on eslewhere in the country, let alone "on the same planet" (which in answer to your question is where, I _think_, we probably both live  ).

Anyway, this is a thread asking for the nice things. Yes, New Zealand has some fantastic scenery, makes a great flat white and the stars are fabulous at night. and it's getting emptier too as more people leave for Australia, that can only be good.


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## Chickiwi

I am amazed at all the negative comments about NZ. Its really NOT that bad. Pollution? where? There may be a bit in the larger cities, but cmon!! there are other places with much worse pollution than NZ.
Yes the scenery is beautiful, but its seems like thats all people think NZ is.
There is sooo much to do, you just have to go out and find it.
In my experience the people are lovely, open and willing to help when you ask the right questions.
Laid back? whats wrong with that? there's too many up tight people in the world that dont stop to enjoy life. 
At the end of the day its what you make of it, and if you are in NZ with nothing but negative thoughts and comments....well.... of course you're not going to enjoy it


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## Flyingfoxnz

TGM said:


> Unfortunately many New Zealanders believe the myth of 100% Pure NZ, or at best aware of it but content to let it all wash over them.


Yeah I find it's really embarrassing that my home country is riding on that 100% pure image and yet taking so long to become truly environmentally conscious. 

We could be a spotless paradise if we ALL put the effort in to reuse and recycling, actually USING public transport, cycling or walking instead of driving, actively pushing local councils to provide good infrastructure for cycling and walking over the WHOLE country, etc.

Tourists go there for our clean green image to hike, cycle and enjoy nature. We need to practise what we preach.

Mind you I've read more people are tending to vote for the Greens, so hopefully that means a little more conscious thought is going in to cleaning our act up.

FF


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## madeline

*There are good things about NZ*



masonchard said:


> Have just been reading various threads and are dismayed to find so many negative comments and feelings on living in NZ
> Has anybody got anything good to say please ?


My husband Daughter and i have been living in new zealand for the last month and a couple of days. we are loving every minute of it. the people are really friendly and it is so safe compared to south africa. i dont see why anyone would have anything bad to say about nz. its a beautiful place and cost of living is rather cheap. people that have something bad to say about nz dont live in nz or they are just walking around with their eyes closed.


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## TGM

Perhaps.

But don't you think that it really does depend on where you live in New Zealand, whether you're a visitor to the country and also what your ethnic back ground is? 

It can be all things to all people.

Have you come across this news item? "Safety Warning for Asian Tourists"
The reason why it came to mind is that it demostrates how people can have *very* diverse views about New Zealand in relation to other countries such as South Africa and (parts of) the USA:


> Businessman Charles Kang, a trade consultant originally from Singapore, said many of his overseas clients have raised concerns over safety issues over doing business in New Zealand.
> 
> "One compared New Zealand to South Africa, and another said Auckland was fast becoming for us what Oakland is to America," said Mr Kang. "Many expressed surprise at the level of crime we experience here, because New Zealand has a reputation as being a safe country."


and


> An operator for Taiwanese tour groups is also telling his tourists about safety in numbers when visiting New Zealand.
> 
> "We advise our tourists, especially the ladies, ony to go out in groups if they want to leave their motels in the evenings," said tour guide Season Lee.
> 
> "Many Taiwanese think New Zealand is safer than where they came from, so they tend to let their guard down when they come here, and that is not a very wise thing to do.


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## Oranges

just a correction there, my mistake a typo, When I said I am here (It was supposed to say I am in Turkey at the moment and I am here.....
Apologies just woke up and a bit bleary eyed 

I have to agree with the above, irst of all to all you arrogant city dwellers if you want busy metropolitan city life which millions of people why the hell would you go to NZ surely you have enogh brains to know that the country is the size of Japan but oly 4 million people and you know what we like it that way. 

The whole point of coming to NZ or living in NZ is the laid back outdoors family orientated life style. If you want smog, pollution, rubbish in streets, crime, a billion people then sure dont come here.

But if you enjoy nature, rivers, mountains, skifields, green rolling hills of grass, lakes, beaches, sunshine in summer and a trickle of snow in winter, great food, great restaurants, all the entertainment a larger city has Shopping malls, I am here because they offered me a position playing sport for money sowho am I to say no, but after 1 year I cant wait to go home and see some rivers, beaches, and green grass. Ankara is at least 6 hours from the nearest beach, no river or lake in sight. Doesnt have any decent recreational areas.

And as for the comments that all NZ men are practically rapists, well come on which dodgy bars are you hanging out at? NZ guys are like men all over the world if a girls is flirting and coming on to them of course they will jump at the opportunity if the are single. As for the girls sure there are girls that drink too much and are a little easy but I have visited 13 countries in this world most of them western and its no different in any of these countries. There are all types of girls and guys in this world, but dont generaise the NZ male population like this, I know many great guys who are in loving and committed relationships and NZ guys make great family men.

I have a TUrkish boyfriend who is completely different than a NZ guy and there is good and bad points in all cultures but ultimately everywhere there is good and bad people just depends on the kind of places you like to hang out at.....

Dont judge NZ on your limited experience, how about ask the real Kiwis why we love our country so much, its because its beautiful, its safe, it has great equal rights policies, and equal opportunity policies and you are you own person and if you work hard you can achieve anything in NZ.

Besides if you dont like NZ, then simple sod off.... dont whine and complain about it, we dont need your negative energy messing up our country.


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## Shouganai

Flyingfoxnz said:


> Yeah I find it's really embarrassing that my home country is riding on that 100% pure image and yet taking so long to become truly environmentally conscious.


The purpose of the 100% pure campaign was to promote tourism, not to promote green image. It did a good job promoting tourism. 


Flyingfoxnz said:


> We could be a spotless paradise if we ALL put the effort in to reuse and recycling, actually USING public transport, cycling or walking instead of driving, actively pushing local councils to provide good infrastructure for cycling and walking over the WHOLE country, etc.


I find NZ a very clean country, and you would expect so with so few people. I have seen a white, middle-aged lady throwing rubbish out of her topless car. Not the usual demographic littering. There are a lot more drinkers leaving glass bottles on my lawn, and sometimes they are broken.
there is a recycling program here, its just that they dont promote so much, and they dont ram it down your throat. You have to separate the rubbish and take it to recycling depots, so the responsibility falls on people. Not so bad if people could be re-educated.


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## ShellyM

masonchard said:


> Have just been reading various threads and are dismayed to find so many negative comments and feelings on living in NZ
> Has anybody got anything good to say please ?


Absulutely! We have been here for 5 months and there are lots of positive aspects and they far outweigh any negatives for me. It really is a beautiful country which is very service orientated and things seem to be so much easier to do and arrange here - there doesn't seem to be the red tape. I think it also depends on where you are coming from as to what your expectations will be. I'm from South Africa and this is worlds apart! Yes, there is crime as there is in any country, but I would say that it doesn't impact on your life to the extent that it is necessary to change your lifestyle. I feel safe here and go out without feeling that I have to shut all the windows. I feel that we can pretty much go where we want to go and do what we want to do without feeling unsafe. There are some absolutely beautiful beaches and lots of fantastic parks for the kids. There are lots of community initiatives for children which are free and enjoyed by all. Even when it is busy people are polite and 'well behaved'. The schools our children attend are good and I have settled into my job and even been promoted since I've been working there, so what people say about expats not having the opportunities here is not always accurate. I feel alot depends on your attitude and it really is a case of keeping an open mind and avoiding pre-conceived ideas as much as possible- it really is what you make of it!
Shelly


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## kaz101

ShellyM said:


> I feel alot depends on your attitude and it really is a case of keeping an open mind and avoiding pre-conceived ideas as much as possible- it really is what you make of it!
> Shelly


Well said Shelly and that's the same when moving to any country!


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## Shouganai

ShellyM said:


> I feel alot depends on your attitude and it really is a case of keeping an open mind and avoiding pre-conceived ideas as much as possible- it really is what you make of it!
> Shelly


Sorry but attitude is fluff. Like distorting mirrors endlessly reflecting. There needs to be some sense of objectivity and perspective. There is good and bad, you do your research and establish where you can have all you want, and avoid all you don't. Its not a lottery, its a matter of risk management and critical analysis. 
For example, one might highlight the fact that people are very friendly in NZ, but one might grow impatient with the idea of spending 90 minutes to open a USD bank account. For some that might be 'service with a smile', for others its a waste of time. The challenge is finding everything you want when your wants don't reconcile with how society is structured. That is a basis for conflict. I personally could do without a chatty bank manager with no sense of time, but I like some friendliness.


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## FrancisJames

TGM said:


> Oh hard question. Scenery is pretty great but then most countries have pleasant places. It's closeness to Australia is a benefit too because when you've had enough of New Zealand it's easy to hop across the ditch. Other than that? I can't think of anything that Australia doesn't do better.


They don't do the Haka over here! 

But I was over here on Waitangi Day earlier this year and the Kiwis here _really _know how to party. Very different to the more sombre occassion it is back in New Zealand.


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## Shouganai

I think Queenstown is a party special place to live. I did like living in Wanganui on the North Island, its a lovely town, but Queenstown has everything, but if you depend on local income, then you might find it unbearably expensive. Its hard not to hang out in coffee shops and restaurants. 
There is a plethora of activities, a lot of tourists to make friends with. It is really a bigger and better version of Thredbo in Australia. The same relaxed and friendly people. I have an Asian partner...so this is great. Its an international place, great food. I can't imagine living anywhere else. Maybe inner city Auckland is ok. Just I love the activities around Queenstown. There are a number of beautiful satellite towns as well.
I think I would tend to live in Australia though, just for a bigger place to explore. I also am not looking forward to spending the winter months in NZ. We are here just for summer, staying in a short term (3mth) apartment. Its the way to go. Live in Australia...but fly direct to Queenstown. By all means tour around NZ, but Q-Town is the place to live. Arrowtown, Cornwall, Wanaka, Hawea, Milford, Dunedin, Invercargill on your doorstep.


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## FrancisJames

If you're there in winter you'll need snow chains or winter tyres for your car. some of the roads aren't too great, not just because of slpippery snow and ice but because the surfaces get so torn up by the weather. 

It air gets very smokey too because of all the fires.


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## Shouganai

FrancisJames said:


> If you're there in winter you'll need snow chains or winter tyres for your car. some of the roads aren't too great, not just because of slpippery snow and ice but because the surfaces get so torn up by the weather.
> 
> It air gets very smokey too because of all the fires.


They are regulating heaters now. In the cities you need to adopt compliant wood burners. A lot of people are moving to heat pumps, but of course, you would stay with wood burners if your house is not heated.
NZ has the most expensive gas in the world - 10x the industrial price. It has caps on internet. It has the lowest electricity production costs, but because of a poor privatisation, you will pay very high prices. It would be nice to get a wind turbine but they cost $24,000 and there is no competition. cost of living is 15% higher in NZ than Aust. Living on the coast in Australia, I never used a heater or air conditioner. I did not need to get a landline tel to get broadband (extra $40/mth outside major cities), caps on broadband. Fibre to the door from 2015 onwards....promises to be a slow role out.


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## valuesourcer

Shouganai said:


> They are regulating heaters now. In the cities you need to adopt compliant wood burners. A lot of people are moving to heat pumps, but of course, you would stay with wood burners if your house is not heated.
> NZ has the most expensive gas in the world - 10x the industrial price. It has caps on internet. It has the lowest electricity production costs, but because of a poor privatisation, you will pay very high prices. It would be nice to get a wind turbine but they cost $24,000 and there is no competition. cost of living is 15% higher in NZ than Aust. Living on the coast in Australia, I never used a heater or air conditioner. I did not need to get a landline tel to get broadband (extra $40/mth outside major cities), caps on broadband. Fibre to the door from 2015 onwards....promises to be a slow role out.


I wish I can live in Queenstown but the house prices are half a million 
here are just some beautiful pics of queenstown


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## Shouganai

Queenstown is definitely the place of choice in NZ, if you dont mind the relatively mild, but snowy winters. I personally prefer Australia - from Sydney to Brisbane, though you have to buy into the high property prices...so better off in NZ if you are financially constrained.


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## jenswaters

Wow, how have I only just discovered this thread?!?!?!

I am a HUGE NZ fan, and won't pretend otherwise. My family and I have travelled a lot and lived in various countries between 1 and 10 years at a time. Originally from the UK, we only ever had to spend 3 weeks back there to know it wasn't "home" anymore...I personally find the UK too busy, too unhealthy, too focussed on money and material possessions, and too unsafe. I know that other people love it...fair enough.

NZ is NOT the place to live if you want lots of money in your back pocket, flash toys, fancy holidays etc UNLESS you already have that money when you come over. You will not be here and make millions. It is the place to live when you want people who are family-first, when children are meant to be children and not AS materialistic, when the focus is on home, health and relaxation, and where you are not tied up by miles of political red tape. I won't deny that to many Kiwi's and long-term residents of NZ these issues are evident. However, I don't find them to be on the same scale as other countries I have lived, or on the same scale as my home country of the UK. My neighbour is British, but has lived out here since 1973. She feels that there are huge issues here, but when I explain to her the relevance of how the country is back in the UK, how it is STILL better here than in UK, and that EVERY country is changing over time, she actually thinks she has the better deal.

What do I struggle with living here??? The ONLY thing is that it is so far from anywhere. I have travelled lots, have no desire to return to England or anywhere else, but somehow the fact that we are SO far (in terms of travel time and cost etc) actually freaks me out a little bit!!! Maybe it's the fact that travel is expensive and we have little spare cash each week (nearly 3 kids under 6...fair enough) and so I have a slight feeling of being trapped, but that is MY issue due to MY circumstances. It is NOTHING to do with the country.

Like any country, there are things others hate that you will love, and vice versa. It's an individual choice.


----------



## Shouganai

jenswaters said:


> NZ is NOT the place to live if you want lots of money in your back pocket, flash toys, fancy holidays etc UNLESS you already have that money when you come over. You will not be here and make millions. It is the place to live when you want people who are family-first, when children are meant to be children and not AS materialistic, when the focus is on home, health and relaxation, and where you are not tied up by miles of political red tape. I won't deny that to many Kiwi's and long-term residents of NZ these issues are evident.


Agree with you there. I do however feel that, say compared to Australia, that NZ business is significantly more extortive its its drive to make profit, because its so hard to make any, and because its lack of 'good, 'non-distortive' regulation. Workers talk about not getting paid, etc. Service is seldom good. Its better for small business who do need to compete, or rely on close relationships.



jenswaters said:


> What do I struggle with living here??? The ONLY thing is that it is so far from anywhere. I have travelled lots, have no desire to return to England or anywhere else, but somehow the fact that we are SO far (in terms of travel time and cost etc) actually freaks me out a little bit!!! Maybe it's the fact that travel is expensive and we have little spare cash each week (nearly 3 kids under 6...fair enough) and so I have a slight feeling of being trapped, but that is MY issue due to MY circumstances. It is NOTHING to do with the country.


Actually, I think NZ is favourable in this regard. Low inncomes mean low-priced discount airlines. Sadly, Brunei Airlines is ending flights, but Jetstar, Air Asia X are offering reasonable flights to Asia, Aust and beyond. 
NZ is a great place to be a writer. I go to my local park, and I have it all to myself. A great place for loners and yep, parents with kids. Looking forward, I think NZ will have a very attractive economic future in 10 years time. Just give them a chance to discover oil. It will make a hell of a difference to this population of just 4mil. Yep, the money will eventually flow.


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## Song_Si

a positive Wellington wiildlife post . . . 

I lived almost 10 years on Wellington's south coast at Island Bay then Owhiro Bay, suffering many an Antarctic blast of cold southerlies, but also enjoyed many good days on the edge of Cook Strait, swimming, kayaking, beachcombing 









on land I could walk or mountainbike along the coast to the Red Rocks seal colony 

















Often when kayaking I'd have the company of little blue penguins which nest along the coastline, curious little things sometimes one would follow me a for a while, staying 2-3m away from the kayak









every year on their migratory route south orcas head along the coastline and often right into Wellington harbour- just googled and they were there again this year Orca spotted in Owhiro Bay

and from the southern side of Cook Strait









16/03/2011 Students buzzing after orca drops by









dolphins are regularly seen along the coast and within the harbour; my #1 dolphin experience was when kayaking across the harbour entrance and seeing a huge pod feeding, stopped paddling and let the current carry me in among them, totally surrounded, only sounds the splashing and snorting from their blowholes. 

and this from the news yesterday, a rare visitor to the coastline north of Wellington

Happy feet? Penguin steps ashore far from home
An Emperor penguin walks along Peka Peka Beach in New Zealand after it got lost while hunting for food. The young Antarctic Emperor penguin has taken a rare wrong turn and ended up stranded on a New Zealand beach


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## Darla.R

Nice set of pictures Song Si, how many of them are yours?



> NZ is NOT the place to live if you want lots of money in your back pocket, flash toys, fancy holidays etc UNLESS you already have that money when you come over. You will not be here and make millions. It is the place to live when you want people who are family-first, when children are meant to be children and not AS materialistic, when the focus is on home, health and relaxation, and where you are not tied up by miles of political red tape.


You say that as if no one in New Zealand has any money, but there's plenty that do very well for themselves and I know a few that have made millions. 

As for it being the go to place for _'family first_ it is no more_ family first_ than any other developed country so I don't know why NZ is considered to be special in that regard. If you'd lived in Australia you'd know why, you'd also appreciate why so many Kiwis don't raise their children in New Zealand.

But if it's facts you're after you should know that New Zealand has the third highest rate in the of children living in single parent households, around 1 in 4 children, in industrialised countries

Almost 25% of families are single parents Auckland Single Parents Trust

One child in four in single-parent home | Stuff.co.nz

"Of 27 industrialised countries, New Zealand ranked third in the Doing Better for Families study, with 23.7 per cent of children living in a one-parent household, compared with the 14.9 per cent average across all countries. The United States ranked first with 25.9 per cent and Ireland was second with 24.3 per cent. 

Children's Commissioner John Angus said Kiwi children were four times more likely to be living under the poverty line if they were being raised by a single parent. 

New Zealand's child poverty rate, at 12.2 per cent, is nearly on a par with the OECD average. Child poverty includes going hungry and living in poor housing that can lead to poor health. 

At the end of March, 113,000 people were receiving a domestic purposes benefit, of whom 88 per cent were women. 

The OECD said New Zealand could do more to support sole parents into fulltime work through the provision of quality childcare. Social Development Minister Paula Bennett, herself a single mother, said the Government was focusing on this. 

"No parent wants their child to spend a life in poverty, but the fact is that children whose parents are working have more opportunities and better health and education than those from benefit-dependent households." 

And as for having plenty of quality, family time that's a fallacy for the many people in New Zealand who have to work longer hours, or two jobs to keep their heads above water.

You should have read about the Time Use survey:

Women unpaid for most of their work - Life & Style - NZ Herald News

People watching TV more, volunteering less | Stuff.co.nz

It looks like the top five activities for New Zealanders are sleep, work, watching television, eating and drinking, and socialising. No mention of family time, sport or any other leisure activities such as enjoying the great outdoors or playing with the kids.


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## Song_Si

^ what happened to the '_positive aspects_' theme to this thread? There are enough negative ones here already without this one turning also.

re the pics - I haven't been in NZ almost 3yrs, sources of pics are provided in the links to news items/sites


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## Darla.R

Why not post some of your own pictures, we'd love to see them


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## Song_Si

Is this the Spanish Inquisition?
Simple; we were burgled April 2010 - I lost all my digital photo libraries. Possibly someone of Phuket had an interesting time looking through them, my family, friends, years of scenic shots, world travel etc.
I thought providing links to recent news items more relevant than none at all, some 'proof' rather than hearsay. And I didn't carry my camera while swimming or kayaking.
I have posted pics on the Thailand forum, where I am now living.


----------



## Song_Si

meanwhile, my Positively Nice Day Out thread on this forum has had over 100 views, and not one negative comment (or one positive one either for that matter!) 

Found a few pics on my Facebook page, started FB after moving here so again not many from NZ. Three here from Island Bay which sort of 'overlap' in the 3rd gloomy one - you can see the pier in it also visible in the sunny day pic, also the small lighthouse which is not a lighthouse at all, but someone's quirky little seaside home.
There were plenty of rough/gloomy days, put on warm clothes and walk the beachfront, I had friends who lived almost on the waterfront - just the road between them and the sea, windows plastered in seaspray when there was a southerly wind.
Island Bay/Owhiro Bay remain my favourite place in Wellington, 7km to city centre, but self-sufficient enough if you don't want city life every day; wonderful little 3-screen cinema opened about 2006, walking distance from home.


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## topcat83

Song_Si said:


> meanwhile, my Positively Nice Day Out thread on this forum has had over 100 views, and not one negative comment (or one positive one either for that matter!)
> 
> Found a few pics on my Facebook page, started FB after moving here so again not many from NZ. Three here from Island Bay which sort of 'overlap' in the 3rd gloomy one - you can see the pier in it also visible in the sunny day pic, also the small lighthouse which is not a lighthouse at all, but someone's quirky little seaside home.
> There were plenty of rough/gloomy days, put on warm clothes and walk the beachfront, I had friends who lived almost on the waterfront - just the road between them and the sea, windows plastered in seaspray when there was a southerly wind.
> Island Bay/Owhiro Bay remain my favourite place in Wellington, 7km to city centre, but self-sufficient enough if you don't want city life every day; wonderful little 3-screen cinema opened about 2006, walking distance from home.


Thanks, Song-Si for making my day brighter. That's not to say that the rest of the day has been dull - far from it. It started with my wonderful ferry journey to work, then went on to a reasonably priced pizza in a lovely restaurant about 1 minute away from Downtown Central Auckland. And this evening it's off to help at the theatre where we've made so many new friends since we've been here.

Life is good here.


----------



## jenswaters

Darla.R said:


> You say that as if no one in New Zealand has any money, but there's plenty that do very well for themselves and I know a few that have made millions.
> 
> As for it being the go to place for _'family first_ it is no more_ family first_ than any other developed country so I don't know why NZ is considered to be special in that regard. If you'd lived in Australia you'd know why, you'd also appreciate why so many Kiwis don't raise their children in New Zealand.
> 
> But if it's facts you're after you should know that New Zealand has the third highest rate in the of children living in single parent households, around 1 in 4 children, in industrialised countries
> 
> It looks like the top five activities for New Zealanders are sleep, work, watching television, eating and drinking, and socialising. No mention of family time, sport or any other leisure activities such as enjoying the great outdoors or playing with the kids.


Darla, you never fail to amaze me with the way that you twist things. Part of me is tempted not to respond to such below-the-belt comments, but as some of your comments are offensive, I have no choice.

Firstly, at what point does me pointing out that the cost of living is expensive and people shouldn't be coming here to save money, or for a cheaper way of life, mean that "no one in New Zealand has any money"? There are plenty of people in EVERY country who will find a niche and "make a million", so please don't think I am suggesting otherwise. What I am doing is painting a clear, realistic picture that it is not cheaper to live for MOST people, but they often (not always) off-set this for a better quality of living (don't pick that statement apart...this is subjective to many people).

Secondly, I and many others, have found NZ to be far more family-focussed than the UK, where emphasis in many sectors is about work work work work...and more work. I am one of many (NOT all, but many) who have found that this is a great place for raising young children, where work places support family values. Again, not everybody will feel this way, but you cannot dismiss that for a lot of people this is the case.

Thirdly, what on earth you think such a statement about single-parent families in New Zealand highlights, I have no idea. You imply that being a single-parent is NOT a good way of raising a family, a spectacularly offensive implication. I see absolutely no relevance to "family first" in this "fact". I will also re-iterate that percentages are a very wobbly stat when it comes to such a low population. Stats on the UK are based on 76 million, whereas in NZ they are based on over 4 million...not the same grounds for comparison.

Fourthly, as someone who has supposedly lived in NZ, I find it so hard to understand how you reach the conclusion that "the top five activities for New Zealanders are sleep, work, watching television, eating and drinking, and socialising" and no sport. So much "socialising" is based around sport and activity if you choose it to be e.g. touch leagues, netball leagues, walking, water-based sports...you name it, it is here in abundance. There is certainly far more on offer here than the areas I lived in the UK. Every country in the world has the other activities you mention, so don't imply that NZ is unique in such normal "activities" of working, sleeping and watching TV.

Finally, as you have rightly pointed out in the past, people often wander off topic, and don't bring their points back to the question posed at the start of the thread. So, this post is about listing "positive aspects of NZ". I fail to see anything "positive" in your post. So, let's keep this positive as requested, shall we?


----------



## Song_Si

topcat83 said:


> Thanks, Song-Si for making my day brighter. That's not to say that the rest of the day has been dull - far from it. It started with my wonderful ferry journey to work, then went on to a reasonably priced pizza in a lovely restaurant about 1 minute away from Downtown Central Auckland. And this evening it's off to help at the theatre where we've made so many new friends since we've been here.
> 
> Life is good here.


taking the ferry? Are you on the north shore? that's cheating, I used to swim across. 

My first ever competitive distance swim (1988) was 2.6km from Erin St by the Tepid Pools, south side of harbour bridge across to the Chelsea Sugar Works (they sponsored the event), then in more recent years (2008 last time for me) north to south from Bayswater to the big marina (aim for the Sky Tower they said). On that 2008 swim we took the ferry across - and saw 2 orcas in the harbour, but they had gone by the time the swim started. They go up into the harbour at times in search of stingrays for lunch.

Found a short youtube clip showing some in the harbour last year - wildlife on your doorstep!


----------



## topcat83

Song_Si said:


> taking the ferry? Are you on the north shore? that's cheating, I used to swim across.


 Half Moon Bay. 



> My first ever competitive distance swim (1988) was 2.6km from Erin St by the Tepid Pools, south side of harbour bridge across to the Chelsea Sugar Works (they sponsored the event), then in more recent years (2008 last time for me) north to south from Bayswater to the big marina (aim for the Sky Tower they said). On that 2008 swim we took the ferry across - and saw 2 orcas in the harbour, but they had gone by the time the swim started. They go up into the harbour at times in search of stingrays for lunch.
> 
> Found a short youtube clip showing some in the harbour last year - wildlife on your doorstep!
> 
> YouTube - ‪Killer whales feeding on stingrays / Orcas in Auckland Harbour.‬‏


Every now and then we get a pod of dolphins, and in one memorable case 5 orcas, following the ferry. Marvellous! People pay a lot of money to see the things we see on our ferry journey.


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## Song_Si

topcat83 said:


> Half Moon Bay.


my sister and her family once lived at Mellons Bay not far from HMB, and could catch the ferry from there; her husband was keen fisherman and he and I would head out in the harbour in his small boat with outboard motor, 2 rods over the side each, and swap sections of Saturday's NZ Herald (men of few words!). 
Sometimes we brought dinner home, sometimes it involved stopping at the shops to buy some


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## topcat83

Song_Si said:


> my sister and her family once lived at Mellons Bay not far from HMB, and could catch the ferry from there; her husband was keen fisherman and he and I would head out in the harbour in his small boat with outboard motor, 2 rods over the side each, and swap sections of Saturday's NZ Herald (men of few words!).
> Sometimes we brought dinner home, sometimes it involved stopping at the shops to buy some


We bought a boat - a 5m 'tinny' (translation - aluminium boat with a big outboard). 

We _always_ had to stop for dinner on the way home!


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## kiwigser

*Ray of sunshine*

I see our resident "Ray of Aussie Sunshine" has been on again. Its natural that someone who lives there feels everyone who chooses another country is missing out or just plain dumb. 

When much younger and I was trying to persuade my dad to try something new he would relate this Alsop Fable 

_A FOX, caught in a trap, escaped by tearing off his brushy tail.

After that, the other animals mocked him, making him feel so ashamed that his life was a burden to him. He therefore worked out a plan to make all the other foxes the same as him, so that in their common loss he might better conceal his own deprivation.

He called a meeting of foxes. A good many came to it, and he gave a speech, advising them all to cut off their tails. He said that they would not only look much better without them, but that they would get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great inconvenience.

But one of them interrupted his speech.

"If you had not lost your own tail, my friend," that fox said, "you would not be giving us this advice."_

*
I suppose we are guilty of this, even NZ forum members*


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## Darla.R

I think it's a valid point. 

The reason why I left New Zealand was to get a better work life balance, I work part time and am now able to spend more time playing and having fun.

This morning I jogged and walked for almost hour at Kirra Beach. In a while I'm taking the children to Movie World (they have annual tickets) because they're are on vacation and it's a lovely day. Meanwhile I'll get a massage in town, drop by the social club to see who's hanging out wants to shout me lunch. Pick up the dry cleaning, collect the offspring, home to get changed and then out to a 25th wedding anniversary party at a club in Surfers. 

Sometime today I also have to squeeze in a load of paperwork. Good job I can multitask hey?!


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## Song_Si

while they dropped from firth to sixth, just making the top 10 at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards is good for Air New Zealand

*Voted by over 18.8 million airline passengers from 100 different nationalities, the World Airline Awards™ are the most prestigious and respected quality recognition of front-line product and service standards across the world airline industry. With 200 airlines featured, the awards reflect customer satisfaction levels across 38 different items of airline front-line product and service.*

*THE WORLD'S BEST AIRLINES : 2011*

1 Qatar Airways
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Asiana Airlines
4 Cathay Pacific Airways
5 Thai Airways International
6 Etihad Airways
7 Air New Zealand
8 Qantas Airways
9 Turkish Airlines
10 Emirates

Other award winners included Asiana Airlines who were voted as World's Best Cabin Staff, AirAsia retaining their crown as the World's Best Low-Cost Airline, Dragonair as Best Regional Airline. 

and:

*Air New Zealand *was named the World's Best Premium Economy Class Airline for customer Product and Service Quality at the 2011 World Airline Awards, in a ceremony held in the French Air and Space Museum at the Paris Air Show. The runners-up in this Best Premium Economy Class Airline category are Turkish Airlines taking 2nd place in the category, ahead of Qantas Airways in 3rd position.


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## kiwigser

Song_Si said:


> while they dropped from firth to sixth, just making the top 10 at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards is good for Air New Zealand
> 
> *Voted by over 18.8 million airline passengers from 100 different nationalities, the World Airline Awards™ are the most prestigious and respected quality recognition of front-line product and service standards across the world airline industry. With 200 airlines featured, the awards reflect customer satisfaction levels across 38 different items of airline front-line product and service.*
> 
> *THE WORLD'S BEST AIRLINES : 2011*
> 
> 1 Qatar Airways
> 2 Singapore Airlines
> 3 Asiana Airlines
> 4 Cathay Pacific Airways
> 5 Thai Airways International
> 6 Etihad Airways
> 7 Air New Zealand
> 8 Qantas Airways
> 9 Turkish Airlines
> 10 Emirates
> 
> Other award winners included Asiana Airlines who were voted as World's Best Cabin Staff, AirAsia retaining their crown as the World's Best Low-Cost Airline, Dragonair as Best Regional Airline.


Auckland airport comes in at number 8 in the world


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## anski

Flew Air NZ long haul last year & boy was I impressed. 
Although have to admit my favourite for airline food which verges on restaurant quality at times is Emirates.
I was a loyal Qantas customer for 30+ years until they lost my support because of lousy meals on last few flights that resembled cardboard.


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## kiwigser

anski said:


> Flew Air NZ long haul last year & boy was I impressed.
> Although have to admit my favourite for airline food which verges on restaurant quality at times is Emirates.
> I was a loyal Qantas customer for 30+ years until they lost my support because of lousy meals on last few flights that resembled cardboard.


The one dire meal we had on Air NZ was one prepared in Vanatu, the rest have pretty good for plastic food, at least you get decent cutlery.


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## sdh080

Darla.R said:


> I think it's a valid point.
> 
> *The reason why I left New Zealand* was to get a better work life balance, I work part time and am now able to spend more time playing and having fun.
> 
> This morning I jogged and walked for almost hour at Kirra Beach. In a while I'm taking the children to Movie World (they have annual tickets) because they're are on vacation and it's a lovely day. Meanwhile I'll get a massage in town, drop by the social club to see who's hanging out wants to shout me lunch. Pick up the dry cleaning, collect the offspring, home to get changed and then out to a 25th wedding anniversary party at a club in Surfers.
> 
> Sometime today I also have to squeeze in a load of paperwork. Good job I can multitask hey?!


I've highlighted the key words out of that post, just because it's the case for you doesn't mean it's the case for everyone.


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## Song_Si

yes that's a very personal reason relating to an individual employee/employer.

One reason I stayed in Wellington was that the three main employers I had there over ten years did allow for good work/life balance and supported and encouraged me in my sporting efforts with flexible hours for my training, regular meetings with dietician and sports physios. Colleagues would often come and watch me compete on weekends - a good team!

My last employer (4yrs) had a strong social and sports club, recognising these as important parts of employee wellbeing and job satisfaction. As I worked in HR these were strong selling points when discussing opportunities for prospective staff members.


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## sdh080

Song_Si said:


> yes that's a very personal reason relating to an individual employee/employer.
> 
> One reason I stayed in Wellington was that the three main employers I had there over ten years did allow for good work/life balance and supported and encouraged me in my sporting efforts with flexible hours for my training, regular meetings with dietician and sports physios. Colleagues would often come and watch me compete on weekends - a good team!
> 
> My last employer (4yrs) had a strong social and sports club, recognising these as important parts of employee wellbeing and job satisfaction. As I worked in HR these were strong selling points when discussing opportunities for prospective staff members.


Agreed.

I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say that I've got a massively better work/life balance here in New Zealand than I ever had previously in the UK or Middle East. 

Yes I put in the hours sometimes, sometimes I travel in my own time to save early morning flights but on the flipside if it's quiet I'll ****** off for the afternoon to play bowls or whatever else takes my fancy. My mobile phone is off when I'm not in the office and that's not frowned upon like it can be elsewhere.


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## kiwigser

sdh080 said:


> Agreed.
> 
> I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say that I've got a massively better work/life balance here in New Zealand than I ever had previously in the UK or Middle East.
> 
> Yes I put in the hours sometimes, sometimes I travel in my own time to save early morning flights but on the flipside if it's quiet I'll ****** off for the afternoon to play bowls or whatever else takes my fancy. My mobile phone is off when I'm not in the office and that's not frowned upon like it can be elsewhere.


Yep same here, life is pretty good. Suns out, the boats are out on the water and tonight is again to prove I know little about Kiwi TV, and pop charts in the Trivia quiz at "The Cock and Bull". Luckily members of our team do watch a bit of telly.


----------



## sdh080

kiwigser said:


> Yep same here, life is pretty good. Suns out, the boats are out on the water and tonight is again to prove I know little about Kiwi TV, and pop charts in the Trivia quiz at "The Cock and Bull". Luckily members of our team do watch a bit of telly.


That's my only complaint for today, it's a bit wet down here but really can't complain about the winter so far, it's been pretty pleasant.

Going to the pub quiz isn't about the quiz


----------



## kiwigser

sdh080 said:


> That's my only complaint for today, it's a bit wet down here but really can't complain about the winter so far, it's been pretty pleasant.
> 
> Going to the pub quiz isn't about the quiz


It can get serious, we have a female team member who keeps plugging away when the rest of us have given up.

Dunedin, I got some fantastic shots of the Royal Albatrosses whilst on your peninsular and you have a good hospital


----------



## sdh080

kiwigser said:


> It can get serious, we have a female team member who keeps plugging away when the rest of us have given up.
> 
> Dunedin, I got some fantastic shots of the Royal Albatrosses whilst on your peninsular and you have a good hospital


Yeah, I've seen plenty of people take it seriously, I just go for the banter.

Christchurch for me although I do spend a fair bit of time in Dunedin, the Peninsula is spectacular.


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## inhamilton

Comparatively low crime rate : Police don't even wear guns.
Comparatively low unemployment rate : around 5.5% currently and expected to fall compared to a lot of Europe and the US around the 9% mark I think.
Good, clean environment, nuclear free.
Good food (we have some of the most fertile land in the world)
Moderate climate, fairly constant year long, not too hot or too cold.
Isolation from world problems.
Heaps of space, you can go to some surf beaches in the middle of summer and not see anyone for miles.
The people are some of the happiest in the world (top 4) according to surveys.
Good education (one of the highest literacy rates in the world)


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## Darla.R

Sorry inhamilton but I think you've got another country's unemployment figures in mind. According to the official figures unemployment in NZ is 6.6%, just trying to keep things as factual as possible here .

Employment and Unemployment March 2011 Quarter - Labour Market Reports - NZ Department of Labour

The OECD average is 8.2% whilst the US is 9.1% Current Population Survey (CPS)

HTH.


----------



## xabiaxica

Darla.R said:


> Sorry inhamilton but I think you've got another country's unemployment figures in mind. According to the official figures unemployment in NZ is 6.6%, just trying to keep things as factual as possible here .
> 
> Employment and Unemployment March 2011 Quarter - Labour Market Reports - NZ Department of Labour
> 
> The OECD average is 8.2% whilst the US is 9.1% Current Population Survey (CPS)
> 
> HTH.


that's still incredibly low though in NZ

a figure which is a distant memory where I live in spain - they were 'boom time'levels!!!


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## jojo

inhamilton said:


> Comparatively low crime rate : Police don't even wear guns.
> Comparatively low unemployment rate : around 5.5% currently and expected to fall compared to a lot of Europe and the US around the 9% mark I think.
> Good, clean environment, nuclear free.
> Good food (we have some of the most fertile land in the world)
> Moderate climate, fairly constant year long, not too hot or too cold.
> Isolation from world problems.
> Heaps of space, you can go to some surf beaches in the middle of summer and not see anyone for miles.
> The people are some of the happiest in the world (top 4) according to surveys.
> Good education (one of the highest literacy rates in the world)


It sounds lovely in NZ - what does one need to move there??? LOL!!!!!

jo xxxx


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## dizzyizzy

My kiwi friends are the most lovely people I've ever known. I want to move there too


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## xabiaxica

dizzyizzy said:


> My kiwi friends are the most lovely people I've ever known. I want to move there too


I have to say I don't like the accent

my brother isn't there though - he's in OZ

so that's a plus point for NZ!!!


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## topcat83

xabiachica said:


> I have to say I don't like the accent
> 
> my brother isn't there though - he's in OZ
> 
> so that's a plus point for NZ!!!


We've found that there are many different accents over here - which surprised us. The South Island accent is very different to the North Island, and the Maori and Pacific Islanders have a very distinct accent too.
I love Levi Vaoga's accent - he's the big guy who fronts the Mitre 10 ads. We met him down a dark alley in Oamaru last year - quite frightening until you get to chat to him. He's a gentle giant.


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## xabiaxica

topcat83 said:


> We've found that there are many different accents over here - which surprised us. The South Island accent is very different to the North Island, and the Maori and Pacific Islanders have a very distinct accent too.
> I love Levi Vaoga's accent - he's the big guy who fronts the Mitre 10 ads. We met him down a dark alley in Oamaru last year - quite frightening until you get to chat to him. He's a gentle giant.


I shall have to see if I can find him on youtube 

have toadmit my dislike comes from a TV series years & years ago - all the vowels seemed to be wrong.............


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## topcat83

xabiachica said:


> ....have toadmit my dislike comes from a TV series years & years ago - all the vowels seemed to be wrong.............


They are.... 

Replace E's with I's and I's with U's. You 'write a littier with a pin', and eat 'fush and chups'.

Also according to my cousins son, I go to work on a 'fairy' (ferry).


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## xabiaxica

topcat83 said:


> They are....
> 
> Replace E's with I's and I's with U's. You 'write a littier with a pin', and eat 'fush and chups'.
> 
> Also according to my cousins son, I go to work on a 'fairy' (ferry).


that's it

can't handle it.......................


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