National sets out 'disciplined' immigration plan

Don Brash

National leader Don Brash today outlined what he described as National's "disciplined" approach to immigration.

He said Labour's approach to immigration was "too lax" while that of New Zealand First too often appealed to crude prejudice.

"National's policy is a responsible middle ground of managed immigration," he said in a speech in Wanganui.

As reported earlier this week in the Herald, under National's policy immigrants would not be able to claim a benefit for four years and there would be a four-year probation period before getting permanent residency

Dr Brash said New Zealand needed an inflow of immigrants if it was to avoid a decline in total population and National recognised immigrants of many races had made an enormous contribution to New Zealand society.

But he said Labour's current policy had failed and there was resentment towards immigrants, especially against those "who arrive as refugees, go straight on to a benefit and live for years at the expense of the hard-working New Zealand taxpayer".

National did not want those who came to New Zealand with the intention of living off the generosity of New Zealand taxpayers.

"Nor, frankly, do we want immigrants who come with no intention of becoming New Zealanders or adopting New Zealand values," he said.

"We do not want those who insist on their right to spit in the street; or demand the right to practice female circumcision; or believe that New Zealand would be a better place if gays and adulterers were stoned.

"If immigrants don't like the way we do things in New Zealand, then they chose the wrong country to migrate to."

Dr Brash said his party wanted immigrants who wanted "to become New Zealanders" -- Chinese New Zealanders or Pacific Island New Zealanders, not New Zealand Chinese or New Zealand Pacific Islanders.

The bedrock of National's policy was that "immigrants must be likely to provide a net benefit to existing New Zealanders".

Immigration Minister Paul Swain told today reporters people could already be deported from New Zealand if they committed crimes as a permanent resident.

He said he signed off about 40 deportation orders a year.

Mr Swain also said the Government believed the benefit system, which required people to be a permanent resident for two years before they could receive one, was already tight enough for immigrants.

"It seems to me he is trying to out-Winston Winston (Peters) and there is no future in National doing that."

Prime Minister Helen Clark said if New Zealand cut its refugee quota it risked being seen as shirking its international responsibilities.

"It's a question of whether you want New Zealand to be taking its share of international responsibility towards the world's troubled, tortured, displaced people.

"Traditionally New Zealand has done that going right back to the 1930s."

United Future also announced its immigration policy today, saying it would develop a 10-year plan.

Immigration spokesman Paul Adams said the plan would look at maintaining, if not increasing, the current net migration inflow of 10,000 residents a year.

It wanted to ensure information and support for all new arrivals. "We particularly want to see this in areas such as language, customs, job placement programmes, and health and social services," he said.

- NZPA