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A song of emigration for those left behind?

  • April 24th, 2008

When our young people flow out of New Zealand, I’ve always thought of their parents, wondering if they will see their grandchildren only on foreign trips, or when the kids take a duty holiday in New Zealand.

But a friend yesterday put another human face on it.  Her daughter is 28 and loves living and working in Wellington.  What makes her sad are the number of farewell parties she’s asked to each weekend for her friends going to live overseas, mostly in Australia.  These young people should be celebrating their first house purchases and promotions, not saying goodbye.

Ireland was like that for 100 years.

Will we become characteristically maudlin, like the Irish? Is there a Dave Dobbyn working now to give us our very own “Danny Boy”?

We must change the Government and encourage our enterprising young people back.

Comments

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  • Bob
  • April 25th, 2008
  • 10:14 am

Changing the government is one thing. How do we get young people back? Because we are a small country we just haven’t got the industries and jobs. My son went to England. His qualification is not common and widespread. There are few jobs available here but many over there. He has a job but is firing away lots of CVs to see how well he can do. He is also considering contract work which is fairly readily available.

He always had a lot of mates here mainly from his school days. On a recent holiday back he could only find a couple. The rest are overseas mainly in England.

Ireland had a gift handed to it on a plate membership of the EU. We seem to have all disadvantages. Nevertheless I would like to see this government out and National in. Even though he is now derided I think Roger Douglas talks a lot of sense.

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