7 February 2001

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said she was tiring of Marie Hasler's continued efforts to mispresent migration statistics.

"Almost every month Marie Hasler claims that the latest migration statistics are the 'worst ever'. In November she said that the figures were the worst in 20 years, when in actual fact the worst November figures were in 1997 when National was in Government," Lianne Dalziel said.

"Now she's rolling out the same tired line of a new brain drain record for December. Last time I thought it was a bit of bah humbug – now it's starting to sound a like a cracked record."

"The December figures merely show that it was a popular month to leave the country. People often wait until the end of school terms and holiday periods before uprooting their families.

"The December departures would also include foreign students returning home for the holidays, long term work permit holders returning home, overstayers departing before being removed, and many young people starting their Big OE. All of these groups fit the definition of permanent and long-term departures as identified by Statistics New Zealand.

"Thanks to the nine years of failed National policies, migration has been a problem for a few years. However this Government is addressing this area, with initiatives to be announced on Friday."

© Scoop Media