Immigrants must share our 'bedrock values', says Brash

Don Brash

National leader Don Brash said today New Zealand should be cautious about accepting immigrants who don't share the country's "bedrock values".

He said in a speech in Auckland that these values included an acceptance of democracy and the rule of law, religious and personal freedom and equality of the sexes.

"Put another way, we should not welcome those who want to live in New Zealand but reject core aspects of New Zealand culture," Dr Brash told the annual conference of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment.

"If you don't accept these fundamentals then New Zealand isn't the place for you."

Dr Brash, who acknowledged that at the last census there were 700,000 people living in New Zealand who had been born overseas, said National would expect new immigrants to show a commitment to learning English if they could not already.

They would also be expected to be "young enough to contribute some taxes before going on the pension -- or wealthy enough so that they can cover their own healthcare needs and income in retirement".

Dr Brash said he regarded himself as a fifth-generation New Zealander and noted that well-known Kiwis - including former All Black Andrew Mehrtens, Silver Fern Irene van Dyk and Finance Minister Michael Cullen - were born overseas.

"We rightly regard all of these people as New Zealanders," he told the conference. "Even most people who regard themselves as Maori New Zealanders have several recent immigrants among their forebears."

Though he conceded it was not easy to assess people's values before they arrived in the country, he said it could not just be left to chance.

Dr Brash said: "Diversity is a bit like red wine: a certain amount is good for one's health; too much too quickly alters your personality and can be thoroughly bad."

>> Read the full speech

- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF