Anti-immigration arguments keep getting more farcical

Senior politicians are asking New Zealanders to take their absolutely farcical immigration policies seriously.

“By attempting to get tough on immigration, National has sparked a populist bidding war in which facts are completely ignored,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“There are areas where we need to tighten up immigration rules. But slashing immigration by tens of thousands is simply impossible – the numbers just don’t add up.

“Andrew Little wants to reduce immigration by up to 50,000, the Greens’ policy is almost as extreme, and Winston’s goes even further. These ideas would mean blocking all new work visas, or cancelling our open travel arrangement with Australia, or stopping expat Kiwis from returning home.

“Even if it was possible to cut immigration by this much, it would do enormous damage to key industries. Tourism, aged care, and (crucially during a housing shortage) construction are all screaming out for new workers, and many of these will have to be immigrants.

“ACT will ensure that immigration is a positive for New Zealand by targeting immigrants who rip off the taxpayer, instead of those who come here to be productive and pay tax. We’ll also slash red tape for building and land use, meaning houses become affordable even while the population grows.”

ENDS

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