Hon David Cunliffe
Minister of Immigration

The launch of the expat programme in Australia is further evidence of the Government's dedication to attracting the skills and talent New Zealand needs, Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said today.

"After the launch of the programme into the United Kingdom last year it is exciting to move into the next phase and talk to expats in Australia about the opportunities here," Mr Cunliffe said.

"There's never been a better time to talk about the unique benefits of New Zealand. Our economy is among the world's best performers in recent years, unemployment is the lowest in the developed world and we have a reputation for world class business innovation."

Australia has the largest number of New Zealand expats – with an estimated 455,000 Kiwis living throughout the country.

The Government made a commitment last year to encourage New Zealand expats to return home. The Department of Labour was asked to initiate a programme to communicate with expats and make it easier for them to return.

The Department is launching the Australian marketing programme in Sydney today and will use a variety of advertising and publicity. The marketing will direct people to the focus of the expats programme – the http://newzealandnow.info website - where the content has been updated for the Australian market.

"We cannot afford to ignore these large numbers of New Zealanders off-shore - especially when the international competition for skilled people remains strong. We need these people to ensure continued economic growth in this country," Mr Cunliffe said.

"This not about preventing people experiencing life in another country. Kiwis love travelling overseas and the skills and experience they bring back are invaluable to the growth of New Zealand businesses.

"It's about creating awareness about the lifestyle and employment opportunities here and helping people discover the 'new' New Zealand.

"The Government realises the importance of talking to the large pool of untapped kiwi talent in Australia. These people are an ideal source of talent to sustain economic growth and to help employers who are crying out for skilled people."

ENDS

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