The New Zealand town that doesnt have enough outsiders
Category International
Kaitangata, in the South Island, has 800 residents, but it wants more. The town is now offering house and land packages to those looking to relocate for just £122,000, primarily intended to tempt Kiwis away from life in the big cities.
Mayor of the Clutha district, Bryan Cadogan, tells The Guardian that they have 1,000 jobs vacant in the area – but, unusually, not enough people to fill them all.
“When I was unemployed and had a family to feed, the Clutha gave me a chance, and now we want to offer that opportunity to other Kiwi families who might be struggling,” he adds.
The employment opportunities are mostly driven by primary industries, such as a dairy processing plant, with the town previously using buses to bring in works from Dunedin, over an horu away.
“I despair over the way many Kiwi families are forced to live these days,” adds Cadogan.
“So many of the things Kiwis value, such as owning your own home and providing for your family, have become an impossible dream. For a lot of people in New Zealand life is just an endless slog. And that really saddens me.”
One local farmer is in charge of the recruitment initative, with banks and lawyers in place to make the relocation process as smooth as possible for those who can no longer afford the high prices in cities such as Auckland.
“The housing crisis in New Zealand has made the Kiwi dream unattainable for many people, but in Kaitangata the Kiwi dream is still a reality,” he tells the newspaper.
“We have got youth unemployment down to two,” adds Cadogan. “Not 2 per cent – just two unemployed young people.”
Author: By Ivan Radford
