Number of migrating Kiwis is not growing, says PM, but thousands are still leaving

The number of New Zealanders returning from Australia has increased 14 percent in the past year, but the number heading across the ditch is more than double the number returning home.In the year ended December 2025, official figures from Statistics New Zealand show 19,000 Kiwis made the return home from Australia while 47,500 departed.While the number of departures to Australia was slightly down by 1 percent, net migration - the number of arrivals minus the number of departures - is a significant loss of 28,500 Kiwis to our nearest neighbour in just a year.All of these numbers were the subject of debate on Christopher Luxon's regular Monday interview slot on Morning Report.Luxon had been talking about the changes National was proposing, which he says would make it easier for first home buyers to purchase their own home.Along with other policies the party had already promised to campaign on, the prime minister and National Party leader said there were more reasons for Kiwis to stay in New Zealand.Morning Report co-presenter Ingrid Hipkiss asked: "So you think this is going to make more Kiwis stay, because they're leaving?"To that Luxon said Hipkiss was "wrong" and there had been a 14 percent growth in Kiwis returning home.That statistic is backed up by official data, as is the numbers Hipkiss responded with, namely, there is "19,000 who have come back, 47,000 are still leaving though".Luxon said he would send through the details, which his office did when RNZ asked on Monday.Hipkiss continued to press, noting "net migration to Australia, though, from Statistic New Zealand is still -28,500".Luxon: "I'm happy to send you the numbers. As I said to you, 14 percent growth in Kiwis coming back in the last year."Hipkiss: "Yes, the number of Kiwis coming back has grown, but are you saying the number of Kiwis leaving is lower than that?"Luxon: "Yeah, it is down each month."Hipkiss: "Lower than the number of people who are coming back?"Luxon: "Why don't I send you the details just so we get the facts straight? But I'm happy to tell you the good news is Kiwis returning home from Australia is up, and Kiwis leaving each and every month is down, and that's a positive thing for New Zealand."The prime minister went on to say that "there was more to do for sure".Following the Morning Report interview, RNZ asked the prime minister's office what Luxon thought he was responding to when he said Hipkiss was wrong."The point the prime minister was making is that it's wrong to assert that the number of Kiwis leaving New Zealand is growing - which was how he interpreted Ingrid's initial question on this."Given that recent data shows an increasing number of New Zealanders are choosing to come home, and fewer are leaving New Zealand, the overall migration picture of New Zealand citizens has turned a corner and is improving," a spokesperson said.