The residential construction sector in New Zealand is under pressure. Photo / 123RF
Opinion
There is a “mass exodus” of people leaving the residential building industry and some businesses have lost up to 80 per cent of their work, says the boss of a leading company.
The news comes as a building association across the Tasman says Australia “needs to attract around half a million workers” in the next four years.
Classic Group director Peter Cooney says the downturn is hitting the New Zealand construction industry hard, and it tends to be a boom-to-bust industry.
“You are either hiring or firing ... you’re either up or you’re down, and it’s not either one way or the other.”
Read the full story: Construction industry workers quitting New Zealand for Australia, says boss.
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A mass exodus should surprise no one. This Government has been a disaster for New Zealand and New Zealanders.
Jo M
Totally understandable that families are migrating to a more stable environment when the cost of living in this country has spiralled out of control. Sadly, it will not only be the building industry that suffers, but also all the contractors and subcontractors attached to it.
David J
PM Hipkins was all pavlova jokes when announcing the new citizenship arrangement with Australia. The reality is we have made an increasingly attractive option even more appealing. This article is on builders, but it will be nurses, IT workers and a host of other professionals leaving. This Government has made us mediocre through not addressing systemic issues over the last six years, and using Covid as an excuse. It has also made race a real issue by trying to introduce co-governance as part of Three Waters rather than fostering a healthy debate and declaring its intentions at the 2020 election, as “the most transparent government” ever would of course do. As Marc Ellis said, we have lost our mojo, and it is a direct result of this Government’s failings.
Glenn P
Don’t blame them. For the first time ever, I am making enquiries about a move to Brisbane - will need to get my certs for Australia to work in the same industry, but I feel our country is entering a new era of racism that I don’t want to be around. Australia is attempting to follow the UN charter, and meanwhile, we are not even willing to look at co-governance, let alone the rights of Māori to govern themselves - e.g. basic human rights acknowledged by the UN.
Vicki C
A young 20-something will always jump to the highest salary because of their situation, which tends to be single, socialising and possibly living at home. What I’m more concerned with is the ones that move who are coupled up or with children. Once they lay roots in another country, it’s very hard to get them back unless things are going badly.
Richard Y
Until young people can afford houses in NZ, they will always leave. A capital gains tax is long overdue to take the heat out of the housing market. In the meantime, we are getting flooded with third-world immigrants who are happy to settle in NZ for a much lower standard of wages until they can get into Australia after having gained NZ citizenship.
Matt J
Kiwis have been heading to Australia since forever. Borders being open, flights available and residency/citizenship has taken the handbrake off.
Clark M
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