Although there are a lot of similarities in how things work in each country I've lived in, there are always unique ways of doing things that have to be found out in order for things to go smoothly.

To make it as easy as possible for anybody else planning to move to NZ, I'm listing in this section tips and links I found useful -- with notes where they are needed.

You'll find links to help you apply for the right paperwork (permit and IRD number) needed to apply for a job, links to services in order to help you find an IT job, what to expect in terms of taxes, etc.

I hope you find the information useful...and get in touch when you get here :-)

I can't speak for the rest of New Zealand, as there's quite a lot to see that I haven't, but I can talk about living and working in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...

It's a wonderful city to live and work in, and I've listed on the Living in Wellington page some tips and links I've found useful while living here.

One of the first questions I asked when I got here was whom to call in an emergency. And frankly, nobody seemed to be sure. There were muttered numbers of the local police station (like that would do me any good in an emergency), that there was another number for the fire station than the the police, etc.  

Basically, it turns out that life is pretty uneventful for the majority of people, and they never have needed to use the following number.
So here. To end all confusion once and for all -- the official answer:

Phone 111  for the Police, Ambulance or Fire Service. They'll take it from there.