NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Face of the Budget Vicky Freeman keen to return to NZ - but not yet

NZ Herald
31 May, 2019 02:28 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Jacinda Ardern speaks on changing mental health services while visiting Māngere Community Health Centre in 2019. Video / NZ Herald

The face of the Budget, who gave up on New Zealand and moved to Australia, says even Labour's newly announced wellbeing policies aren't enough to lure her back.

"In the future, probably. Can I bring the sunshine and surf with me? Absolutely!"

A photo of solo mum Vicky Freeman, 41, and her daughter Ruby-Jean, 9, was emblazoned across the cover of Grant Robertson's Wellbeing Budget when it rolled off the presses this week.

But the Herald revealed yesterday that Freeman had found New Zealand too expensive - so she and her daughter had upped sticks and moved to the Gold Coast.

The revelations sparked a storm in Parliament yesterday, with National Party leader Simon Bridges accusing the Government of "spin".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responded that the Budget was similar to the National caucus room.

"Regardless of the smiling faces on the front, it's what happens on the inside that really matters."

Speaking to the Herald today, Freeman said she agreed with those sentiments.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It shouldn't be about the people on the cover moving to Australia."

She said she was amazed by the level of media interest surrounding her move across the ditch which had "all just got a bit blown up".

Vicky Freeman was stunned to learn she and daughter Ruby-Jean were on the Budget's cover. Photo / Getty Image
Vicky Freeman was stunned to learn she and daughter Ruby-Jean were on the Budget's cover. Photo / Getty Image

Freeman was pleased that Ardern sent her a personal message today in response to an online query about why the Government chose her and daughter Ruby-Jean for it's glossy Budget document.

In a reply today on Instagram, Ardern said the Budget was all about "happiness".

Discover more

Economy

Rising costs: The big fear for Kiwi consumers

03 Jun 05:00 PM
New Zealand|politics

Vicky Freeman: From NZ Budget cover to Aussie front-page news

11 Jun 02:08 AM

"Simple reason really - happiness. You both looked really happy."

Freeman replied cheekily from the Gold Coast: "We are."

It was kind of Ardern to have taken time out from her busy schedule to get in touch, Freeman said.

"I know she's a people person so I was kind of just waiting."

The actress and model admitted she had not taken much interest in the finer details of yesterday's Budget announcements.

But she liked the focus on wellbeing and was positive about higher payments for beneficiaries and axing parental donations at many schools.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But were the changes enough to lure her back?

"In the future but not right now. I've just moved and me and my daughter are very happy.

"I love my country. I'm indigenous to the land. I belong in New Zealand. It would be nice to be able to come home and be happy and live there and not struggle."

Asked if was a wrench to leave her homeland, she said it was hard turning her back on the great work opportunities that were emerging before she left, which included Shortland Street and television advertisements.

But she had to make the best decision for her and her girl.

"I'm one of those people that strive. I want a better life for me and my daughter and want to be able to buy a house and that wasn't looking likely in Auckland, but it is looking likely here."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However Freeman wanted to stress that economic considerations were not the only reason for fleeing her birth land for the lucky country.

She had spent about a decade living there in her 20s and considered Australia and had many fond memories.

"I used to own a Kombi [van] and cruised around surfing. That was my 20s, that was my happy place."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ

10 Jun 08:45 AM
New Zealand

'Not giving it up': Gypsy wagon battle with state housing rages on

10 Jun 08:29 AM
New Zealand

Eight-vehicle crash blocks Auckland motorway

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ

'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ

10 Jun 08:45 AM

An investigator says Will Johnson's last contact with family was on June 5.

'Not giving it up': Gypsy wagon battle with state housing rages on

'Not giving it up': Gypsy wagon battle with state housing rages on

10 Jun 08:29 AM
Eight-vehicle crash blocks Auckland motorway

Eight-vehicle crash blocks Auckland motorway

Driver dies after North Shore crash, severe thunderstorm warning issued

Driver dies after North Shore crash, severe thunderstorm warning issued

10 Jun 07:26 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP