Maybe the salary has a lot to do with it. As noted on another thread in your bank account each fortnight all you receive is NZ $936.00 your only other form of income is cash allowances at the hotel. Sure these allowances can build up your overall salary but if you get a few low allowance trips like South Africa you may start wondering where next weeks rent is going to come from.
But I agree with other people on this thread and others. If you are Australian this is your only option when it comes to flying long haul with our national carrier, therefore if you dont plan on flying as a career Auckland maybe a great opportunity for a few years, its just not sustainable in my opinion from a salary point of view in the long term.