Posted by alexandra_k on October 14, 2005, at 18:00:19
In reply to Re: Keeping up with the Kiwis, posted by Declan on October 12, 2005, at 19:56:30
> But why do they come over here then?
Usually... Employment opportunities. We have something of a problem of losing our graduates to overseas. Basically... We are a little country.
I'll use this example (because its about all I know but have heard comperable stories with respect to other types of work too).
Academia.
Thats 5 universities.
What are the chances that any of them will have an opening in your field for the level position that is appropriate at round about the time you need one?
Close to zero... Close to zero...
Because of our welfare system, health system etc etc... Well... The funding for that has to come from somewhere... And so there is a three stage taxation system which involves round about... 33% for those in the highest income bracket (I might be completely wrong here but that might be 33c out of every dollar earned over $50,000 per year). Thats pretty steep... And if you pay less tax overseas (as you tend to in most developed nations) then thats more in the hand. And if you are being paid in foreign currency (in most developed nations) then you are also better off than you would be in NZ given the exchange rate.And then...
There is a matter of what sort of life you want to live...
Most people (who visit from all over...) say that NZ is a lovely place to raise children and to retire. The implication being that with respect to daily life... It is fairly 'laid back' AKA boring as hell. We don't have proper cities. And with proper cities yeah you get problems... But you also get lots of things to do. Arts, culture, stuff to do 24/7.
Another thing (back to academia). 5 universities. Easy to see how one can quickly become the only specialist on whatever in the whole damned country. Isolation. Thats a problem. And many many hours to get to the UK or the US or Canada. Australia isn't too far away... But still.
We kind of are on the end of the earth...
Hmm. I never thought of this...
But maybe thats why we are called 'New Zealand'.
(zee being the last letter)
I dunno...
I wonder where the old one got to...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:566125
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20050924/msgs/566945.html