New Zealand’s early childhood teachers are being poached by the Australian state of Victoria, with a promise of incentives, and financial relocation support.

The ‘Best Start, Best Life’ campaign, by the Victorian Government, encourages people to move from NZ to teach kindergarten, with the quote “come for the career, stay for the lifestyle.”

Kiwis are told a there is a job for everyone, from the big city of metropolitan Melbourne, to rural areas across the state. “With record investment and significant reforms there is a high demand for head teachers and teachers within kindergarten services,” the advertisement campaign states.

Location incentives for Victoria range from $9,000 to $50,000, depending on location and services.
New Zealand Ministry of Education Workforce Leader Anna Welayk pointed out our overseas relocation grant provides up to $10,000 towards a teacher’s costs of moving to New Zealand.

“In any year we would expect some teachers to leave New Zealand and others to arrive from overseas to teach in New Zealand,” she said, adding that choice is based on many factors, including personal circumstances.

“We have confidence that New Zealand is actively positioning itself as a destination of choice for international teachers.”

Kiwi ECE teacher Imogen is one of the many people looking to make the move across the ditch.
In an interview with NZME, Imogen said “ECE has been in crisis for years [...] with the direction this new Government seems to be taking us in, we appear to be going backwards.”

The early childhood educator added teachers “left the sector in droves” following prior funding freezes.

A survey conducted by NZEI Te Riu Roa shows over the prior six months, 68 per cent of workers in the sector have considered leaving.

Imogen hopes ratios of teachers to students are “changed,” calling the current system “unsafe and unworkable.”

Early Childhood Council Chief Executive Simon Laube added there is “really strong demand from parents” for ECE teachers to remain in New Zealand.

“Just look at Wellington - we’re still losing services in Wellington. Let’s face it - there is a huge teacher shortage in New Zealand.”

Laube believes the sector “hit the bottom of the cycle following Covid,” but remains positive the future is bright. “We’ve got a Government taking a lot more interest in Early Childhood.”

Council of Trade Unions Economist Craig Renney believes it “makes perfect sense” for Australia to try and pinch Kiwi workers, with support for people wanting to make the move, and additional funding promises for families.

The fears Kiwi ECE teachers will move comes after NZME revealed New Zealand healthcare workers are eyeing-up Australia, with a promise of relatively higher pay and better working conditions, with the backdrop of public service reform happening in Aotearoa.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, social housing and transport.