Tips and Tricks when moving from Australia to NZ

​​​The Work & Live in NZ team caught up with one of our Aussie Tradestaffers who has made the move to New Zealand and is now working with Tradestaff. We wanted to find out all the tips, tricks, and insights to help make your start to New Zealand as easy as possible.

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What is the best place to get AUS food & drink?

Chicken Parmigiana at Speight's Ale House. The beer at the pub and the sports grounds is full strength, often with an option of half strength if wanted.

You can drink in public and buy booze at the supermarket.

Where is the best place to catch up with and meet other people from the OZ?

Summer cricket, 6 a side and sports centres.

Biggest surprise and best thing about making the move and living in NZ?

It’s like a parallel universe, it feels the same but it’s the small things that are different.

The contribution to Superannuation (Kiwisaver) is much lower than OZ. So start Kiwisaver straight away, you might just end up here for years!

There’s no Medicare – if you suffer an injury ACC covers it, and if you are sick you go public (or go health insurance). Compo works differently.

There is an AFL group in NZ in the major cities and Sky Sports show the games.

Go for a walk in long, dry grass and camp anywhere - there’s no snakes to kill you. But nature has no mercy - be prepared and get local advice.

What is one thing you that you wished you had known before moving to NZ? 

There’s nothing like Triple J or ABC here – the closest is Hauraki and TV1.

The banks aren’t connected, the closest connection is ASB to Commonwealth but even then you need to get a new one from the start with an address you’re staying and then you get an IRD number.

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Best advice to those thinking of making the move

Approach things as though you are in a different country so that you ask questions up front instead of being caught behind.