Record Outflow to Australia

Tuesday, 21 August 2012, 12:17 pm
Press Release: Council of Trade Unions

21 August 2012

Record Outflow to Australia

Statistics New Zealand have reported today that the net loss of migrants to Australia in the July 2012 year was 39,800. This equals the highest ever net loss to Australia, previously recorded in both the April 2012 and June 2012 years. The July 2012 annual figure resulted from 53,900 departures to Australia (a record), offset by 14,000 arrivals from Australia. In both directions, most migrants were New Zealand citizens.

Peter Conway, CTU Secretary said that it appears the Government has no plan to address this outflow.

“Before being elected the Government was quick to criticise the emigration of Kiwis to Australia. But now it appears to regard this loss as business as usual”.

Peter Conway said that workers will stay here if there are enough jobs that pay well and provide decent conditions of work. That means we need to lift the minimum wage, promote industry bargaining which in Australia covers 60 percent of the workforce compared with 18 percent here, and boost productivity while ensuring the benefits flow to workers.

“Instead we are seeing bosses getting big pay increases here while there is an increasing trend towards casualisation and mistreatment of workers, including low-paid migrants.”

ENDS

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New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.

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