The speculation that more New Zealanders will shift to Australia now that its superannuation contribution rate will soar to 12 per cent throws light on politics of envy commonly witnessed in this country.

Australian superannuation changes - which include a boost in compulsory employer superannuation contributions to 12 per cent from 9 per cent by 2019 - is revealed to exert pressure on political parties on this side of the Tasman to come with their plans to increase savings.

New Zealanders prefer Australia as they can earn more money; the weather's generally better and; the people are ok once you mix with them.

However, New Zealand's financial services industry peeps over the Tasman and talks about Australia's compulsory superannuation system primarily because it knows that if compulsion were introduced here it would feed them forever.

Finance Minister Bill English posted that Australia's tax and superannuation reforms were typical of that country, while, New Zealand possesses altogether different objectives.

"But in our view the more important area at the moment is going to be to compete for talent and to compete for New Zealanders who will be looking across the Tasman at an economy that's been growing pretty strongly and weighing up their opportunities there," he added.