Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
1JUNE 2016

Stone Deaf Govt Irresponsible Over Immigration

The government is totally irresponsible allowing mass immigration when Treasury sounded warnings about the negative impacts of it six months ago, New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament, Rt Hon Winston Peters says.

“This is a classic example of the government being deaf to what they don’t want to hear.

“If you listen to Mr Key and his government we don’t have a housing crisis and mass immigration is not bringing bigger problems for this country.

“He wants to wake up and get real.

“Treasury says they advised Finance Minister Bill English that immigration could push Kiwis out of low-skilled jobs, depress wages and increase housing pressures.

“There’s no ‘could’ about it; New Zealand First has been saying for years this is happening.

“What can you expect when every month you have a record net gain of migrants (more arrivals than departures).

“Last year we had net 63,700 migrants arriving and most of them moved to the Auckland region. This figure is expected to go up to 70,000 this year.

“Add to this, 124,000 international students from 176 countries that came here last year, many of them having visas allowing them to work.

“It’s ordinary Kiwis who suffer by struggling to find homes, losing jobs or having wages reduced because many of the foreign students are desperate for work to pay for their education and will take any amount that is offered – even as low as $4 an hour,” Mr Peters says.

ENDS

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