New Frontier

The NZ government’s multimillion dollar media campaign in the US aiming to lure wealthy Americans to “the new California” is the subject of a December Voice of America feature. Major selling points are the clean/green image and promise of a terror-free existence, as well as the financial attraction of relatively cheap properties and investment opportunities. Says vineyard owner, Beth Mills, of her new home: “It’s a good place to raise kids. It’s very safe. It basically is able to take us back to the way things were in the US when we were growing up.” Applications by Americans for permanent residency recently reached 1,000 per annum for the first time in NZ history. Making the trip easier for Californians is the newly launched Air NZ service between Auckland and San Francisco.