Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Amanda (BillyRock) Had Enough Of Police State: Moves To New Zealand

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I guess he was waiting for a adult to answer the question.

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Brian...Thank you.

If you could give me the straight up on crime, Americans being able to work, export/import, the value of American dollar long-term,the cost of housing,food and clothing etc.,I'd appreciate it. I've read forums involving folks from all over the world who've lived there and without question,every one speaks of it's beauty and the good folks who live there. Hell, I'd love to spend a month there each year. But,it seems if you're a outsider coming into the country,prospects for long term comfort and financial stability might be a troubling goal.

Below lies a few of those forum posts. I realize there are simply some disgruntled folks who choose to bitch regardless so I'll just give you a few comments which caught my attention as far as my life would be concerned. The beauty of your country and the opportunities for a outdoorsman isn't even at issue. It's a given, imo. Picking between NZ and Australia would be tough for any US city goat roper, such as myself,so you giving this US city boy the straight up is sincerely appreciated.

If you could either verify or refute the above and respond to those comments below, you'd be owed a favor I'd gladly repay some day.

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Eve's avatar
Eve � 156 weeks ago


If i can chime in, I am a Secondary schoolteacher, moved to the South Island on a trial basis, luckily did not give up my job or home in the states. NZ did not meet my expectations at all. I am going back to the states at the end of this month, almost ran out of money, cannot wait to get out of here. Where do I start? Even though my profession is on the "shortage skills" list, I was not even shortlisted for most teaching jobs, was not even considered. If there is only one qualified kiwi they will not hire a foreigner. They don't like almost anyone who is not a kiwi but especially Brits,Americans, and Asians. I did get a job but it did not meet the minimum wage threshold to qualify for the work visa; I therefore had to pay for my children to attend a public school for one term. The schools are academically behind those in the states. Students also have to pay for books, materials, lunches, supplies, projects, trips. There are numerous hidden costs; this is for everyone, regardless if you are a kiwi citizen, resident, or visa holder. Many items are extremely expensive such as books, electronics, clothing, shoes, meats, dairy, office supplies, furniture, fuel and travel, entertainment, the list goes on. I would say before you come make sure you have a job lined up, do as uch research as you can, and bring lots of money if you do come. Do not totally give up anything you have back home if possible so if it doesn't work out you can go back.

P.S. IslandMeg, I know exactly how you feel, I am going mad as well, cannot wait to get the heck out of here, what a costly experiment this was...


Oh my god! I understand everything you are said and think you are right on the button with it. I am a Kiwi born and bred but lived in the States for 10 years and have been back here for 3 years and loathe it.

It's such a struggle and everything you have said is so true. I agree that the beautiful landscape (if you in the South) does not make up for the struggle and lowered level of quality of life here.

I feel like I am on a sinking ship and as soon as I can sell my house I am back to the States so I can breathe again.

Thanks for this article. I have been going mad here.


For those of you dismayed by NZ, you might consider Australia, Canada. I am an Australian in NZ. I find Australia far safer, and even if the property is far more expensive, it is an asset which will appreciate because of the entrenched zoning laws and strong population growth. There are plenty of jobs in Australia, a range of climate types, friendly, relaxed, aspirational people. It is the 'land of milk and honey'. The only problem I think with Australia is the pernicious govt, much like the USA. It was enough to drive me to NZ, but probably not enough to keep me here.
Crime in NZ is significantly worse, its too windy in NZ, though I appreciate the rain/green hills and a little chill in the air. I feel I have exhausted myself in NZ...as just two small, under-developed islands. Whereas there is a continent in Australia, lots of parks, lots of walks, lots of roads, all well-maintained. NZ is very socialist...people happily struggle. I love the small town life, but it is limiting.
Buying into Sydney might challenge some people with less than $250,000 in savings, and even smaller cities are expensive. You might be compelled to live in the bible belt, places like Toowoomba, in which case its like NZ. There are prosperous rural towns, but the distances between cities is a great. Australia'a climate is the ultimate gift. Places like Sydney, Gold Coast (working class), Newcastle (still working class), Port Macquarie (a little country, unfriendly) are the best coastal places. My favourite town is Inverell, NSW. My favourite area of Sydney is Eastwood/Epping area. Don't ruin them!



Hi, Im a kiwi but have lived in the UK for the last 17 yrs, we moved back to Nz a year ago, with my 14yr old daughter. It took my daughter a few months to settle in and get used to the way they teach here but now she is settled she is doing really well and is a lot happier in her school work, they push her to better herself and try different things too, sho loves it here and doesn't want to go back. Ive found for myself and my wife, it took a while to get good jobs and we had to spend a lot more in this time than we thought, but now we are settled we are almost back to earning the same as we were in the uk. everything is done the hard way here which is frustrating, food is expensive. From talking to other new comers here the first year is really tough but if you make it through that time then you will never leave. Although Im a kiwi Ive been away for a long time and I find Kiwis a little naive and a bit sad and annoying at times, beautiful place, great lifestyle, but come for a holiday if you can first, Im giving it a couple of years and might go back to england

You should pick NZ, we have enough opinionated parasitic solicitor filth here as it is.

They seem to have kept you out of prison.

I always said it's because they can't afford 'em. Crooked ass govenment keeps 'em all too broke.

Damn vowels are spendy, Vanna White gets $250/ea them sumbitches.

You need to try harder than that, no one has ever tried to put me in prison.
Typical of a solicitor though, everyone is your inferior, you are the pivot the world revolves upon, and your [bleep] does not stink.
News for you, you are viewed as being on the same rung as paedophiles, syphilitic whores, and politicians...which is apt for someone that lives off the misery of others.

Go on...send another pithy rejoinder my way, you low pathetic ill-mannered piece of crap.

What's a matter,junior? You run your mouth and thought you'd escape unscathed? Go back a few posts and you'll see where the "ill manners" originated between you and myself.

If you don't like it, tough schit, mate.

You attach too much importance to yourself halfwit...stick to your usual self aggrandising twaddle.
And do you really think your using "junior" on a 48 year old bloke is going to bring tears, next you be trying those all too popular "communist" or "democrat" tags.


Try at the least to be original.

Some of its a bit hard to answer as I've never lived in another country. I'm better at answering hunting questions. An american gunsmith friend thinks he would be better off in the states mainly due to our high taxes and housing costs.
Taxes are said to be 50% of income when you count all the hidden ones.We get a lot of social welfare.
Theres a govt immigration website but basically you need a preferred trade or lots of money.
We have crime here but I dont know what to compare it too. Im 64 and have only been the victim of a few minor burglaries in my life.
The average family has trouble saving money.Most people seem to get ahead by the rising equity in their houses.No capital gains tax yet.Hard for the young ones to get their first house though.

People here get disgusted with the government and well we should. We should have gotten disgusted with it a couple of generations back and done something about it. That's the worst thing about America is the ever intrusive noses of the government.

I've never heard of hardly anywhere that has better gun laws than we do. The politicos are trying hard to change that though and they want to know all about the guns we've already got.

I'm an airline pilot and have literally been all over the world many times (New Zealand is one of the few places I haven't been). There are plenty of places I've been that I've liked, but I've never come close to finding any place that I would prefer to the U.S. I get very disgusted with our government, with good reason as most here recognize. What EE says is true though, the gun laws are significantly worse EVERYWHERE. There is no other country that recognizes a God given right to own firearms, everybody else is behind us. As far as I'm concerned in any place where you can't own a firearm you're essentially a slave. We are the only place where you can be remotely free, not free enough for me mind you, but more free than any other place on earth by virtue of our firearms laws. We MUST not let the democrats take that away from us, if the second amendment falls then the rest of the constitution is worthless and the U.S.A. effectively ceases to exist.

Crow, you are correct in that it will an unmitigated disaster if you lot ever lose the right to own personal firearms, without your manufacturing base we will not have access to all the pretty toys for our firearms.

It is not just about firearms, it is also the manufacturing sector that is vitally important...and irreplaceable.

You're just one guy and I don't mean to bag on you...but why didn't y'all keep your own firearms rights? I mean, I hear lots of foreigners both pro and anti gun talking about what we should and shouldn't do, but it would be a whole lot easier for us if we didn't have the anti's pounding us ceaselessly with stuff like, "no other country allows this".

Fair enough.

I voted, joined a political party, joined and was active in pro firearms advocacy organisations, joined the firearms clubs, went on the marches, went to the meetings, voted with my dollars, bitched at the politicians...and buried what I wanted.
Am currently trying my level best to motivate a few of the Yanks that talk a great deal but do not follow through.

In the end there were just not enough of us as the cities held the voting power.


Now...what are you doing?

If you ever get to visit , try whitebaiting, Hopefully catch a feed, into the pan , quick as possible and wash down with a nice beer
Bloody beauty

Hone, the moment I step onto NZ I will never be back to Australia...which is why I am currently avoiding the place.

An awful lot of the Maori fellas I shore with have invited me to stay with a shearing run provided, my ex-highway patrol mate has a farm there for me to hunt from as well.
I have ample opportunity.

Same reason I never went to France in my twenties...I would never have come back.

middle of winter might bring you back, Can be a cold wet miserable place. Nelson , Marlborough, Hawkes bay are worth a look
Get around there and have a look , What was the temptation in France? a bit of Fluff

I was laughing at Bristoe's wit. I could care less about the topic matter.

My fathers family reside in France and citizenship is not an issue, at the time I was leaning toward the Legion...I elected to stay and be a husband, and have no regrets.

Tassie is where I have set my retirement sights.

I expect crime, like everywhere, is local to where you live. For example, I don't know anywhere on earth is more dangerous than your average American inner city.

More to the point of this thread, I dunno how Amanda is going to feel when she gets her first paycheck and sees how much is gone to taxes. Short of them kicking in your door, hard to imagine the government being more intrusive than taking approximately half your income without your consent.

I expect New Zealand is about like England without as many immigrants and with far more hunting/fishing opportunities. Probably a very comfortable and safe place to live if you're satisfied with just a little.

What folks don't commonly get though, besides our firearms rights, is the tremendous professional freedom we still have here. For example I'm a teacher, but if I wanted to be one of them despised solicitors I could actually go to law school AND find employment in it; entirely switch careers in mid-stream.

I dunno anywhere else where that is as true.

The other thing is, ain't too many places where I can drive 3,000 miles and still be in my own country. In America I'm from NY, but I live in Hispanic South Texas. Don't like it? Then I can pick and choose anywhere, constrained only by my own economic choices.

The last is a REAL biggie, and folks don't realize how rare it is. In America, more'n anywhere else, folks really don't give a damn who your parents were. ANYONE can succeed here.

Birdwatcher