Federation of Ethnic Councils Comments On NZ First Policy

“According to the Sunday Star/BRC poll held recently ninety per cent of New Zealanders reject New Zealand First’s policies, including immigration, and I am not surprised” says New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils President Pancha Narayanan.

Migrants are likely to own their own home, be in professional employment, more likely than New Zealand Europeans to volunteer in their community and migrant children are more likely than any other ethnic group in New Zealand to leave school with higher qualifications.

“We are not the terrorists or undesirables Winston Peters infers we are” says Mr Nararyan. “We are hard working citizens of New Zealand, who like everyone else have dreams, aspirations and plans for the future. We face challenges and hurdles like everyone else, and like everyone else we work hard to overcome them”

Mr Peters says that “on present immigration levels, the number of Asians in New Zealand would increase 145 per cent by 2021”. He fails to point out that predictions for 2016 indicate that Asians will make up 8.55% of the population, Maori 16.7%, Pacific Island 7.8% and European 70.3%. With these predications it is clear that only one ethnic group – New Zealand Europeans, will be dominant in number. “Who needs to fear?” asks Mr Narayanan.

Mr Narayanan believes it is important to have a debate on population issues, and believes it is the responsibility of all New Zealanders to be positively involved in such a debate.

Such a debate must have strong leadership. It must be an informed debate, not based on rhetoric, innuendo and insinuation. Anything less than this would devalue such an important discussion.

The Federation applauds the review of the Immigration Act and looks forward to being involved in it. The Federation encourages all New Zealanders to share their views.

Working constructively together can only benefit New Zealand; working against each other can only harm New Zealand.

Together we will make a difference.

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