Why does New Zealand have so many earthquakes and Australia

New Zealand is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the boundary of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. The Pacific plate is moving 10mm past the Australian plate each year, causing crustal deformation and volcanic activity. New Zealand is also located in a region of high seismic activity which includes the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Pacific Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped area around the Pacific Ocean which contains over 75% of the world's volcanoes and is home to 90% of the world's earthquakes. Earthquakes in New Zealand can be caused by the movement of these tectonic plates, by the subduction of one oceanic plate beneath another, or by the release of built-up stress along fault lines.

Australia is not as prone to earthquakes as New Zealand due to its location. Australia is located in the centre of the Australian plate, away from major plate boundaries. It also does not have any major volcanoes. This makes it less likely for an earthquake to occur.