Denis O’Rourke MP

Spokesperson for Housing
19 October 2016

End Growth Pains by Targeting Size of Population

New Zealand First is calling on the government to put together a population policy.

“This country needs to target a rate of population growth, to meet our needs but not cause growth pains,” says Denis O’Rourke, NZ First Spokesperson for Housing.

“As Statistics NZ said today the population will likely hit 5 million around 2020 but could reach this milestone sooner.

“Just imagine the pressure on housing, hospitals, education and social welfare.

“In the past year under National the population grew at its fastest rate since the early 1960s, up 2.1 percent or 97,000.

“Statistics NZ also project that if there was no immigration, the population would peak at 5.3 million around 2050 and then slowly decline.

“The government’s virtual open door policies cannot meet New Zealand’s short or long term population needs. The recent announcement on immigration amounts to fiddling while the population steam-roller thunders on.

“The damage being caused by government inaction on population is obvious.

“It is high time that a comprehensive population policy, of which immigration policy forms a part, was established.”

ENDS

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