13 Things About Australia That New Zealanders Can’t Believe

13 Things About Australia That New Zealanders Can’t Believe 🇦🇺🇳🇿 Australia and New Zealand may be close neighbours, but once a New Zealander starts living in Australia, some of the differences are surprisingly hard to believe. In this Australia vs New Zealand comparison, we look at Australian wages, public holiday pay, superannuation, cars, visas, slang, sport, earthquakes, enormous driving distances and the little differences about life in Australia that Kiwis definitely notice. If you're thinking about moving to Australia, working in Australia, comparing Australia vs New Zealand or wondering what living in Australia is really like, these are some of the differences nobody thinks to warn you about. One of the first surprises is cars. New Zealanders grow up with the Warrant of Fitness, or WoF. But in most Australian states, an ordinary family car doesn't have the same regular yearly safety inspection simply because another year has passed. Then there are Australian wages. Depending on the award and job, weekends and public holidays can pay much more. In our example, an adult casual Level 1 retail worker can earn about A$48.67 an hour on Sunday and around A$69.53 an hour on a public holiday. Australia's superannuation system can surprise Kiwis too. Australian employers generally contribute 12% of ordinary earnings into super, compared with the minimum 3.5% KiwiSaver employer contribution in New Zealand in 2026. 🇦🇺🇳🇿 IN THIS VIDEO: • Australia vs New Zealand differences • Living in Australia as a New Zealander • Moving to Australia and working in Australia • Australian wages and public holiday penalty rates • Superannuation vs KiwiSaver • Warrant of Fitness vs Australian vehicle inspections • New Zealand ACC vs Australia • Australian visas for New Zealand citizens • Australian slang vs New Zealand slang • Rugby, AFL and Australian sport • Australian vs New Zealand earthquakes • Different rules across Australian states • Huge Australian driving distances • Phar Lap, pavlova, Crowded House and the flat white We also look at New Zealand's ACC system and why there isn't one direct nationwide Australian equivalent covering accidents in exactly the same way. Then there's the incredibly easy trans-Tasman move. New Zealand citizens travelling on a valid New Zealand passport can generally travel to Australia without applying for a visa beforehand and, if eligible, receive a Special Category Visa on arrival allowing them to live and work in Australia. Eligible New Zealand citizens can also apply directly for Australian citizenship without first getting a separate permanent visa. Some of the funniest differences are much smaller. Kiwis say jandals. Australians say thongs. New Zealanders use a chilly bin. Australians use an esky. Kiwis sleep under a duvet. Australians call it a doona. Then there's the SIZE of Australia. Australia is around 29 times the size of New Zealand. Brisbane to Cairns is roughly 1,700–1,800 km by road — and after all that driving, you're still in Queensland. Western Australia alone is more than nine times the size of New Zealand. Finally, we get into the Australia-New Zealand arguments that may never end: Phar Lap. Russell Crowe. Crowded House. The flat white. And, of course… pavlova. So Australians and New Zealanders — what is the biggest difference YOU notice? And if you're a Kiwi who moved to Australia, what surprised you most? 👇 Tell us in the comments. Subscribe to Living in Australia Tips and Tricks for more videos about living in Australia, moving to Australia, life in Australia, Australian cities, jobs, costs, travel and the things newcomers don't always get told. #AustraliaVsNewZealand #LivingInAustralia #MovingToAustralia