Melbourne: Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has relocated to Australia with her family, citing better employment prospects. Ardern, 43, served as prime minister for more than five years representing the Labour Party.
According to the report, she sold her home in New Zealand and used the proceeds to purchase a larger house in Melbourne. She has now settled there with her husband and children.
While New Zealanders moving abroad is not unusual, the move has drawn attention because it involves a former national leader who also served around 15 years as a Member of Parliament. The family is said to expect Ardern’s husband to secure work in Australia with about 50% higher pay than in New Zealand.
The decision is also linked to cost considerations, with the family estimating that household expenses would be lower in Australia than in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s outward migration has been rising over the past four years. In 2025 alone, about 122,000 people moved overseas—around 4% more than the previous year—with roughly 60% heading to Australia. About 670,000 New Zealanders currently live in Australia, representing about 12.5% of New Zealand’s population.
