Government can’t keep borrowing to prop up New Zealand households – Bryce Wilkinson

Opinion byBryce WilkinsonNZ Herald·4 Nov, 2026 08:00 PM4 mins to readDr Bryce Wilkinson is a Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative (www.nzinitiative.org.nz)Almost 180,000 more New Zealand citizens left than returned; most went to Australia. Photo / Getty ImagesAlmost 180,000 more New Zealand citizens have left the country than have returned in the past four years. Most have gone to Australia. Higher incomes in Australia are likely a factor. Australians earn about 30% more per person than New Zealanders. That gap is worth roughly $20,000 a year for