Media Releases
Offshore Kiwis enticed home with New Zealand Now
14 November 2005
People with Kiwi friends and family in the UK have a chance to entice them home this summer courtesy of the Department of Labour.
The Department is offering two lucky expat punters the chance to win a pair of Jandals™ and a Buzzy Bee™ through the newzealandnow.info website, with people in New Zealand able to nominate a friend or family member abroad.
And Air New Zealand is providing two return airfares for two from London for the winners to pick up their prize in New Zealand.
Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said the competition is part of the New Zealand Now programme to reconnect Kiwis living offshore with a New Zealand that has changed since they were last here.
"The programme aims to make it easier for New Zealanders to come home by keeping them in touch with what is really happening in New Zealand and the opportunities that are available here now," Mr Cunliffe said.
"Obviously there's no better way to give Kiwis a fresh taste of life at home today than shouting them a trip back to try it for themselves."
Department of Labour Communications and Marketing Director Richard Ninness said the programme was set against a background of strong employment growth, New Zealand having the lowest unemployment rate in the developed world, increasing international competition for skills and around 500,000 New Zealanders living offshore.
"New Zealanders have always travelled and we know that three quarters of our overseas population are either intending to come home some time or will consider the option of coming home," he said.
"They have the skills New Zealand's employers are crying out for and with unemployment in New Zealand at just 3.4 percent this is a great time to remind them that there is no time in recent history that there have been as many opportunities for Kiwis looking to return."
Air New Zealand General Manager of Marketing Steve Bayliss said the airline was pleased to be involved in the innovative New Zealand Now campaign.
"Air New Zealand has been flying Kiwis home from London for years. And because we are a Kiwi carrier, the winners will feel at home as soon as they board the aircraft."
The competition is open to New Zealand passport holders abroad. People can enter through answering a simple question on the newzealandnow.info website. The flight must be taken from London and the Jandals™ and Buzzy Bee™ must be picked up in New Zealand.
Entries close on 31 December and the prize will be drawn in January.
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