Hon Tuariki Delamere
Minister of Immigration

Media statement
For immediate release
Friday, 23 July 1999

Delamere disappointed at 'misleading' NBR article

Immigration Minister, Hon Tuariki Delamere, said tonight he was disappointed at the grossly misleading headline on today's front page lead in the National Business Review, claiming that Canberra was threatening curbs on Kiwis crossing the Tasman and raising the bogey of a "Yellow Peril invasion".

The article claimed Australia's Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, said Canberra was monitoring trans-Tasman migration to make sure New Zealand was not being used as a back door entry to Australia.

"Yet, a few lines later, the article quotes Mr Ruddock as saying there is no evidence this is happening," said Mr Delamere.

"For the record, here are the facts: There are no indications that New Zealand is being used as a backdoor to Australia - 25% of all permanent long term arrivals to Australia in 97/98 were NZ citizens (compared to 20% in 97/98). The outflow of NZ citizens, most of whom are NZ born, tends to be cyclical and reflects the performance of the NZ economy.

"The proportion of overseas born NZ citizens going to Australia was not raised as an issue by Mr Ruddock during his talks with me in Wellington yesterday," said the Minister.

Ends

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