Ex-New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, Family Relocate To Australia Amid Kiwi Migration Surge: Report

Last Updated:February 26, 2026, 13:02 IST

Australian media earlier reported that Ardern, 45, her husband Clarke Gayford and their daughter Neve were seen house hunting in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her family are relocating to Australia, becoming the most high-profile addition to a growing number of New Zealanders moving across the Tasman, Bloomberg reported.

According to Bloomberg, Ardern, who resigned in 2023, has spent much of her time overseas since stepping down, but now plans to base herself in Australia. A spokesperson said the move is linked to work commitments.

“They have work there, and it brings the added bonus of more time back home in New Zealand," the spokesman said in a statement on Thursday, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Australian media earlier reported that Ardern, 45, her husband Clarke Gayford and their daughter Neve were seen house hunting in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Bloomberg reported that Ardern’s relocation comes amid a wider trend, with official data showing that more than 60,000 New Zealand citizens left the country in 2025, and 61 per cent headed to Australia.

The outflow is expected to be a key issue in New Zealand’s November general election, with many citizens reportedly moving in search of higher wages and improved living standards, adding pressure on policymakers.

Since stepping down, Ardern has spent much of her time in the United States, taking up dual fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School. Bloomberg reported that she also serves on the board of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize and released her memoir A Different Kind of Power last year.

Ardern rose to power in 2017 amid what was dubbed “Jacinda-mania," and in 2020 led the Labour Party to a 50 per cent vote share during the Covid pandemic.

News world Ex-New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, Family Relocate To Australia Amid Kiwi Migration Surge: Report

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