[Sitting date: 25 November 2014. Volume:702;Page:7. Text is subject to correction.]

6. MELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment : How is the Government encouraging more Kiwis to return home, to provide skills for New Zealand businesses and contribute to economic growth?

Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment): In a number of ways. Over the weekend I attended the first of four job fairs we are holding in capital cities across Australia. The first job fair, held in Perth, saw some 1,650 people, the majority of whom were Kiwis, turning up to talk to the 35 employers and business groups represented. The Perth fair, along with one to be held in Sydney this coming weekend and fairs in Brisbane and Melbourne early next year, are designed to encourage more Kiwis, and, indeed, more skilled Australians, to move here to help contribute to our growing New Zealand economy.

Melissa Lee : What was the feedback from jobseekers and employers at the job fair?

Hon STEVEN JOYCE : What was evident for those attending the job fair is that they consider Australia and New Zealand to be a single job market. There was a lot of interest from people living and working in Perth and Western Australia about the positive performance of the New Zealand economy, particularly from those who have been there a number of years. Understandably, some of the desire to return to New Zealand stems from lifestyle or family reasons, but what is clear is that it is the growth in the New Zealand economy and its employment rates that are now attracting people back. I understand that the employers present have brought back a significant number of CVs and lists of potential employees who will help with the 1,200 or so vacancies advertised at the fair.

Melissa Lee : What recent reports has he seen on migration?

Hon STEVEN JOYCE : It is very interesting, actually. Yesterday the international travel and migration statistics for October were released. They showed that last month, for the first time since December 1993, there were more people arriving in New Zealand from Australia than were moving out to Australia from New Zealand—the first time since December 1993. It is not a massive number, but it is a significant trend. To put that in some context, between 2000 and 2005 alone, there were 110,000 net departures from New Zealand to Australia. So although it is true that there has been an increase in unemployment in Australia, unemployment in New Zealand is now at its lowest level since March 2009. The New Zealand economy is growing strongly and more and more Kiwis want to be part of it here in New Zealand.

ENDS

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