Former Kiwi detective who jumped the ditch urges others to ‘take the chance’

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

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A former Wellington detective who took the bait and crossed the Tasman Sea in search of a better life has a simple message for others considering doing the same: “Take the chance and I don’t think you’ll regret it.”

Michelle Lee, 42, spent just over a decade working in the New Zealand police force before she upped sticks and jumped the ditch to Australia.

After three years in the Northern Territory, Lee told The Post she “highly recommends” the move ‒ not least because of the financial benefits.

“I loved the New Zealand Police, and my colleagues, but financially I was really struggling,” Lee said.

While she couldn’t even begin to dream of buying a house in Wellington, in the Northern Territory Lee is provided with free full-time accommodation, making the dream of buying her own home a reality.

“That was a big incentive for me, and has taken a lot of stress off my mind.”

‘Being a detective was always the goal’

Originally from South Korea, Lee moved to Aotearoa with her older sister when she was just 15.

“My parents sent us here to improve our English. We started out at a homestay but ended up staying on.”

Lee began work as a massage therapist but after she injured her arm, she began to look around for a change of career.

“I wanted to join the military but because I wasn’t a New Zealand citizen that wasn’t an option. That’s when I saw that the police were recruiting.”

At 28 years old Lee joined the New Zealand Police. She then spent four “challenging and fun” years on general duties before qualifying as a detective.

'Being a detective was always the goal.“

During her time in Wellington’s Criminal Investigation Branch, Lee worked in the crime squad (who respond to serious crimes immediately after they’re reported), the adult sexual assault unit and finally the asset recovery unit.

“I really liked the asset recovery unit, you’d often get to target the major criminals and get good outcomes. You could really make an impact on those criminals by taking their assets, which in a lot of cases were why they got into crime in the first place.”

But, with the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing, the draw of Australia was growing for Lee.

Lee’s sister and her brother-in-law had moved over to the Northern Territory for him to take up a role in the police force there, having worked as a civilian with New Zealand Police previously.

“My sister started having children, and I couldn’t be there with her because of Covid restrictions, which I really struggled with. I wanted to be closer to her and her family.

“Her husband then told me about the incentives and the pay, so I started researching it. I actually researched it for two years before I left, because I love working in the New Zealand Police so much.”

After 11 years in the New Zealand police force, Lee left for Australia.

‘Change is as good as a holiday’

When Lee joined the Northern Territory police force, not only were her flights reimbursed, but movers were arranged and paid for on her behalf too.

“Everything was organised for me, it was amazing. It didn’t cost me anything.”

Lee was put up in a house of her own as soon as she left police college in Australia.

“Getting a free house means you get that headstart to buy your own house. We also get paid overtime, which we didn’t in New Zealand, so for me that was huge.”

After just over a year in Australia, Lee was able to buy her first home.

During her time at police college in Australia, Lee and her colleagues were taught the different legislation and policies, which she said “wasn’t difficult at all”.

“Policing is policing at the end of the day.”

But what Lee didn’t expect were the opportunities working in a smaller police force could offer.

Based in Tennant Creek, Lee polices a population of just over 3000 people, according to the 2021 census. In comparison, Wellington has a population of around 425,000 people.

“Because the organisation is so small, you get lots of opportunities to try different things. It’s a remote area, which means there’s not always lots of back-up or any specialised units you can call in.

“The result is that I get to do a lot of it myself and experience new things. I’ve already learnt so much.”

Lee currently works as a detective in the general Criminal Investigation Branch, just as she did in Wellington, and has already noticed how many crimes in Tennant Creek involve alcohol usage.

“The mindset of a criminal is quite different. New Zealand criminals seem to be money-driven, whereas here things tend to be more alcohol-related.”

While Lee misses her former colleagues and the Asian food you can get in a big city, she has no regrets about the move.

“I have more time for my family, more time for myself, and more time to learn new skills outside of work. Living in a small town, you definitely learn to be more creative with your personal time.

“They say change is as good as a holiday, and this really was for me.”

So, what’s next for Lee? Hopefully another role in the CIB, but perhaps a move to the Northern Territory’s largest city, Darwin.

‘We cannot compete with that’, says PM

Kiwi cops jumping the ditch has become a hot political issue over the past 18 months, with Police Minister Mark Mitchell admitting that New Zealand's financial package was no match for Australia’s offer.

'We cannot compete with that. Australia has got a much bigger and a healthier and stronger high-wage economy than we have,“ Mitchell told RNZ in April.

The current offer from the Northern Territory for officers who have previously served in New Zealand is reflective of how many years they have served in the police force already.

For example, a Kiwi officer with five years’ police service could expect to earn a base salary of A$86,241 with a A$20,000 relocation boost and a housing allowance of A$31,214 ‒ that is, a total of approximately NZ$152,316.

In comparison, an officer working in New Zealand in their fifth year of service would have a yearly income of about $91,284.

In November of last year, recruiters from the Northern Territory police force embarked on a recruitment roadshow around Aotearoa.

Among those they were hoping to recruit were “seasoned officers looking for a new challenge”.

Queensland police launched a similar campaign earlier this year with the tagline “warmer days and higher pays”, promising officers a NZ$22,000 relocation bonus.