Useful Information
About New Zealand
If you are a new immigrant to New Zealand, you probably will have a lot of questions about our country. Here we have provided answers to some frequently asked questions; from banking to national holidays.
Currency
New Zealand has decimal currency (dollars and cents). Coins come in denominations of 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2, and notes in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.
Banks
Trading banks and Bureaux de Change are open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4.30 pm. Most International Banks have branches or representatives in New Zealand.
Credit Cards
Payment by credit card is universally accepted throughout New Zealand. Those in common use include American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard and Visa. New regulations introduced in September 2009 allow recovery of costs assocaited with accepting payment via credit card by the merchant.
Shopping
Shopping is available not only in the city centres, but also at suburban shopping malls. The normal shopping hours are 9 am to 6 pm on Monday to Friday, and 9 am to 5.00 pm on weekends. There is usually one late shopping night, until 9 pm on Thursday or Friday. Petrol stations are generally open 24 hours a day.
Taxes
Goods and services in New Zealand are subject to a 15.0 per cent Goods and Services Tax referred to as GST.
Medical and Emergency Services
All emergency services can be contacted throughout New Zealand by dialling 111. New Zealand has both public and private medical and hospital services. Private health insurance is strongly recommended.
Newspapers and TV
All cities have at least one daily newspaper and several radio stations. There are numerous national television channels and several cable pay for view operators. There are a growing number of local television channels in the larger cities. New Zealand uses the PAL system for televisions and VCR’s. This is the same system as most European countries. American sets will not work in New Zealand. Equipment using the PAL system may still require conversion to receive the correct signals. TV operates on UHF, VHF and VL channels with a sound frequency of 5.5 megahertz. The regional coding or DVD’s in New Zealand is “Zone 4”.
Postal Service
New Zealand Post offices generally open from 8.30 am to 5 pm. A full national and international mail service is available. Standard national mail costs 50c per envelope.
Poisonous Animals
There are no snakes or dangerous animals in New Zealand apart from the poisonous but rare Katipo spider.
Tipping
Employees in New Zealand do not depend on tips or gratuities as part of their income.
Electricity
Electricity throughout New Zealand is supplied at 240 volts, 30 hertz (the same as Australia). Most power sockets in New Zealand accept 3-pin plugs. It is recommended to check that your appliance will operate in New Zealand before shipping to avoid potential costly conversions.
Communications
Any equipment requiring the use of New Zealand’s plug-in telecommunication network (including telephones, faxes, answer phones, modems) must have a Tele Permit. This is generally only available on products sold within New Zealand. Items brought into New Zealand can be given a Tele Permit, but in most cases the cost to do so will far out weigh the cost of purchasing a new one.
New Zealand Public Holidays
- New Year’s Day January 1
- New Year Holiday January 2
- Waitangi (NZ) Day February 6
- Good Friday April 18
- Easter Monday April 21
- Anzac Day April 25
- Queen’s Birthday Observed June 2
- Labour Day October 27
- Christmas Day December 25
- Boxing Day December 26
Time
New Zealand is close to the International Date Line and is 12 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).
Daylight saving time is observed from early October to late March clocks advance one hour.
Population
New Zealand has a population of circa 4.3 million people.
Auckland, the country’s largest city, has well over one million people. Wellington, the capital city, has over 380,000 people. Christchurch, the largest city of the South Island has an urban population over 313,000.
Seasons and Climate
New Zealand’s climate ranges from subtropical in the North Island to temperate in the South Island. The summer months stretch from December through to March with temperatures ranging from 20° to 30° Celsius.
Winter experiences temperature between 3° to °15° Celsius and runs from June through to August. Both islands receive snow in winter making New Zealand a popular destination for those who enjoy skiing and snowboarding.
Language
English and Maori are the official languages. English is the most common.
Schools
New Zealand is well served with public and private schools. Children commence schooling at the age of 5 years, moving from primary and intermediate schools to highschool/college.
Universities
All major New Zealand cities have their own Universities covering a wide range of courses – Medical, Law, Commerce, Agriculture, Veterinary, Business and many more. New Zealand degrees are recognised worldwide.
This information is correct as at 1st May 2003.
