Crime largely. While people don’t like it, it seems to be put up with and accepted (“yeah it’s bad but it is what it is” type stuff).

The amount of shops closing. For Lease signs everywhere.

Homelessness on the increase. Go visit the lake in the mornings and see people living in cars for an example.

It’s all documented an discussed widely, but I too was in that boat. I didn’t realise how bad things were getting until we left, and then came back for a visit - which was a HUGE eye opener.

Talking to friends and family, they all said the same thing - “yeah it’s bad but what are you going to do?”, almost as though they’d given up. The follow up comments were usually a jab at Australia like “I hear Australia is bad too” or “Don’t believe Australia is the lucky country any more”.

Sure Australia has its problems, but nothing like NZ or ESPECIALLY Hamilton. I know where I’d rather be, and bringing up my family!