Auckland turns frosty face to Asian migrants

Almost half the people canvassed in a poll consider too many Asian immigrants are in New Zealand, and Aucklanders have the strongest anti-Asian sentiment.

The National Business Review-HP Invent poll of 750 people found 45 per cent thought there were too many Asian immigrants, 44 per cent thought the number was about right and 5 per cent thought there were too few.

The number who thought there were too many Asian immigrants had risen 6 percentage points since last year and was up 16 percentage points on a 2000 poll.

Of the Aucklanders polled, 54 per cent thought there were too many Asian immigrants. In Wellington, 31 per cent held the same opinion.

People under the age of 30 appeared to be more anti-Asian than those aged from 45 to 49. There was little difference in opinion on the issue between Labour and National voters, but 72 per cent of NZ First voters considered there were too many Asian immigrants.

Asked about immigrants from the Middle East, Australia, the Pacific Islands, South Africa and Britain, most respondents thought the numbers were about right.

New Zealand Pan Asian Congress spokeswoman Mai Chen said that despite a desire for skills, for entrepreneurism, more tourists and full fee-paying international students, Asians were not really wanted.

"All governments want us to get back into the top half of the OECD," she said. "They talk about a talent nation, they talk about transforming the economy - you are not going to get that without diversity."

Because of increases in Asian tourists and the rise in international students, New Zealanders might think there were more Asian residents than there were, she said.

Of the total population, only 6.6 per cent were long-stay permanent resident Asians.

"So the question is what we are testing here and what we are ... seeing in whether these results are actually ignorance and prejudice, or actually show something that is more factual and which actually shows a problem that requires a change in immigration policy," Ms Chen said.

The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 3.6 per cent.

- NZPA

Further reading
Feature: Immigration