Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who departed politics in January 2023 to work at Harvard University and reside with her family in the United States, will now settle in Australia, her spokesperson announced on February 26.

"They have employment opportunities there, and residing in Australia offers the benefit of spending more time back home in New Zealand", her spokesperson stated.

Jacinda Ardern at a press conference in Sydney, Australia in July 2022, during her tenure as New Zealand's Prime Minister. *Photo: Reuters*

An Australian real estate website reported that Ardern and her husband had viewed properties for sale in Freshwater and Curl Curl, coastal northern suburbs of Sydney.

Ardern, 45, was once hailed as a "hero" for guiding the nation through natural disasters, the Covid pandemic, and the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings. However, public support for her waned towards the end of her second term, driven by discontent over strict Covid lockdown policies and economic downturn.

Ardern joins thousands of fellow New Zealanders who have moved to Australia in the past year. Data from the New Zealand Statistics Agency shows that 48,000 New Zealanders departed the country between November 2024 and November 2025.

While New Zealand consistently ranks high globally as a desirable place to live and work, recent years have seen emigration rates match immigration. Experts attribute this trend to slow economic growth, high living costs, and a housing crisis, prompting many to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Hong Hanh (According to AFP)