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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

'Keep YourHands off the 'Boat People', Delamere'

Libertarianz Welfare Spokesman Sally O'Brien welcomes Chinese Solomon Islanders - and any other immigrants - as long as they don't expect to receive state-funded welfare. She does however question Tuariki Delamere's motivation for fast-tracking amendments to immigration legislation. "Does this man genuinely believe current laws are inadequate," she wonders, "or is he merely desperate for headlines?"

These hundred or so Chinese are merely a drop in the bucket compared to the immigrants already being processed by the Immigration Service, or the thousands of New Zealanders who join the welfare rolls every day. "The need for urgency is perhaps not one of humanitarianism, or administrative efficiency," says O'Brien, "but is more one of grandstanding. Put simply, Delamere - rapidly becoming the Minister of Everybody's Affairs - is desperate for some good headlines.

"People like these so-called boat people show the sort of guts, determination and initiative in getting themselves to our shores that - with up to 900,000 New Zealanders dependent on some benefit or other - sometimes seems in short supply here in New Zealand," says O'Brien. "Perhaps we should instead be giving urgency to amending legislation to allow open immigration, as long as immigrants agreed to make no claim on state welfare. With the sort of initiative these people have already shown, they would undoubtedly soon be offering so much employment that even Delamere might find it possible to get a new job. And he will be needing one come November.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Sally O'Brien
LIBERTARIANZ SPOKESMAN FOR WELFARE DEREGULATION
Phone: (09)3022051, e-mail: sallyo@voyager.co.nz
Or contact Libertarianz Media Coordinator on (025) 861 927, e-mail:organon@ihug.co.nz
www.libertarianz.org.nz

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