It's been rather busy over the last month. The main catalyst for this is that Tina and I are moving to Brisbane in early January. This is intended to be a permanent move, not just an OE, but of course we will be back every so often given that my whole family still lives in New Zealand. So we are to join the 747 of New Zealanders leaving for Australia every week and contribute to the brain drain.
For a little while at least I still will be working for Orion Health, as the sole Australian developer (I think we now have 3 Australian employees, in 3 different states).
There are a number of reasons for this move, but the timing has mainly been driven by my wife just finishing her PhD in Chemistry, and the lack of decent jobs for organic chemists in New Zealand (yet there are a fair number in Brisbane and Melbourne). We've both been keen on moving for sometime as well, partially due to the climate, and also the difficulty of being able to buy a house in Auckland. I earn enough to pay a large amount of tax, yet we are ineligible for any of the benefits that my taxes fund.
The crap Auckland weather also had an impact on our decision, and the fact that we have loved Brisbane everytime we have been there.
So we are off in January, and don't expect to be back to New Zealand to live. But I'll definitely stay interested in how things are going here, and how badly Labour gets defeated in the next election.
Comments
Good on you! Hope all will go well with your move.
I can't wait to leave New Zealand and hopefully not return for a very long time.
I will be joining the brain drain in 2008, and my visits here will be scarce although I will retain property here.
New Zealand is not progressive enough to cater for lateral thinkers and the pay will not equate to Australia's while the politicians refuse to acknowledge the skills of our finest academics.
I have few family ties and little loyalty left to the country I was born in.
Looking forward to a change and a new and peaceful life.