Dr Wayne Mapp

National Immigration Spokesman

21 April 2004

Shambolic immigration policy threatens economy

The Labour Government's catastrophic mismanagement of our long-term immigration strategy has lead to people leaving New Zealand faster than we can replace them. This will prove disastrous for our economy, says National's Immigration spokesman, Wayne Mapp.

His comments come in response to figures released today by Statistics New Zealand showing that in March permanent and long term departures exceeded arrivals for the first time in three-years.

Just 12 months ago there was a net gain of 1800 long-term arrivals, that figure has turned around to a net decrease of 300. The April figures are likely to be just as bad.

"Labour's immigration policy is a disgrace," says Dr Mapp.

"It's mismanagement of the skilled migrant quota and the business category in particular has damaged New Zealand's reputation overseas and the stringent points requirement has seen the door closed on all but a handful of potential migrants."

Permanent and long-term arrivals have decreased, relative to departures, for the past 13 months.

"This is an alarming trend and, if it continues, has the potential to limit job opportunities and to slow growth.

"The shambolic state of our immigration policy is impacting on our ability to attract quality migrants, something our economic security depends on," says Dr Mapp.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>