Leaving on a jet plane

"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go..."

It seems that increasing numbers of New Zealanders are doing just that. The Herald reports that annual migration loss to Australia in August reached a 19 1/2 year high in August according to Statistics New Zealand.

The net outflow to Australia on a permanent or long term (PLT) basis was 33,000 in the August year, compared to 25,900 in the August 2007 year.

The number for the latest year was the highest since the February 1989 year.

February 1989 eh. If I remember correctly, David Lange was still the Prime Minister at that stage. And let's look at the supporting cast:

• Helen Clark - Minister of Housing; Minister of Health
• Michael Cullen - Minister of Social Welfare; Minister for War Pensions; Associate Finance Minister
• Phil Goff - Minister of Employment; Minister of Youth Affairs; Associate Education Minister
• Annette King - Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Ministers of Social Welfare, Youth Affairs, Tourism and Employment
• Trevor Mallard - Junior Government Whip

Hmmmm - what's that old saying? The more things change, the more they stay the same. Yes, I think that's pretty appropriate in this case. But as Homepaddock is reminding us daily, the clock is ticking on this Labour government, and then our best and brightest will come flooding back as the aspirational, innovative National-led government leads us out of the wilderness and into the promised land!