27 October 2004

Another Immgration Leap To Nowhere Says NZ First

New Zealand First has questioned the Government’s latest immigration policy statement, which would allow unskilled migrants to come to New Zealand and possibly be granted residency.

Associate immigration spokesperson Dail Jones said the policy statement seemed deliberately vague but appeared to be designed to allow large numbers of migrants into the country to stoke up the economy in election year.

“We question what is meant by the Government’s intention to clarify and define ‘the ability to grant permanent residence upfront where an applicant has high potential to contribute and settle’. This is very opened ended indeed and could apply to tens of millions of people.

“There are other aspects of the new policy that are also open to exploitation by the horde of immigration consultants who make a substantial living on these constant changes in government policy.

“New Zealand is now paying the price for years of neglect in training its own citizens and this new policy will not benefit New Zealanders at all,” said Mr Jones.

ENDS

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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>>