New Zealand authorities have reported a surge in Australians considering a move across the ditch following the Morrison government’s election victory over the weekend.

Immigration New Zealand said there was a more than tenfold increase in Australians looking at its website on Sunday.

At the same time, expressions of interest increased by more than 25 times on the same time the week before.

More than 8500 people visited the New Zealand Now website on Sunday, the day after the election. In all, 512 registered interest – the first step in the visa process – compared to about 20 registrations on May 12, the government department said.

I… have never been more disappointed in my country lmao anyone know the process of moving to New Zealand? 😂 https://t.co/rct7qXkyte

— ✪⍟ Aliens ⍟✪ (@aliensvl) May 19, 2019

The number of Australians who have started visa registration processes with New Zealand has jumped exponentially from an initial figure of 20 to 715.

Analysis of Google web traffic also revealed more Australians have conducted searches on “moving to New Zealand”.

Notably, Queenslanders used the search term most frequently.

However, as Australians don’t need visas to move to New Zealand, the actual implications of the figures aren’t yet clear.

Winston Peters to @SkyNewsAust on Australians wanting to move to NZ following the re-election of the Morrison govt: Can I understand why Australians would go into an election, lose, and want to leave? No. You don’t quit. You stay and try to make sure that next time you win.

— Jackson Williams (@jacksonjourno) May 20, 2019

“It is important to note these are purely registrations of interest in coming to New Zealand and does not necessarily translate to the number of people actually moving to New Zealand,” INZ general manager Greg Forsythe said.

The department also noted the statistics included anyone in Australia, not just Australian citizens.

Since the Coalition’s upset victory, social media has been abuzz with Aussies claiming they are looking across the ditch, which is not an unusual phenomenon after elections.

honestly, this moving to New Zealand line has been pulled out since at least the 2001 "Tampa" election. If you want to go to New Zealand & you have the freedom, the $, the lack of connection to this country, to do that, just go, now https://t.co/TgHtuxSq9r

— Susan Metcalfe (@susanamet) May 19, 2019

However, University of Auckland politics professor Jennifer Curtin told Radio NZ the reaction was likely to fade as the realities of a move became more clear.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s immigration minister, Iain Lees-Galloway, was grinning when asked about the spike.

“New Zealand is a wonderful destination full of possibilities. I’m not at all surprised,” he said.

“If Australians are looking at us, that’s great.”

-with AAP