11 Migration Record high net migration appears to have eased off in recent months. This is being driven by a small but gradual increase in departures and a recent drop in arrivals. After an extended period of net gain from Australia, this has swung back to a net loss of Kiwis across the Tasman. Recent announcements suggesting a loss of ‘rights’ for Kiwis based in Australia may make some consider coming back to New Zealand, and dissuade others from heading over the Tasman. This means that any net loss to Australia will likely be less than we have seen in the past. While Auckland has seen the greatest annual increase in net migration, the impact is nationwide. In many cases this rate of population growth exceeds the growth in housing stock. Long Term Migration Monthly Net Migration Between New Zealand and Australia Net Gain Last Year % Change TOTAL ALL AREAS 71,932 6.4% Auckland Region 35,772 14.5% Hamilton City 1,844 21.8% Tauranga City 1,045 -7.2% Wellington 3,472 36.4% Christchurch City 5,726 -1.9% Dunedin City 944 45.7% Main Urban Area (Other) 5,419 4.3% Rural Centres 4,676 16.1% Not applicable/Not stated 13,034 -15.9% Source: Statistics New Zealand