Peters questions population prediction

5.45pm

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is questioning the accuracy of a claim by Statistics New Zealand that the population of New Zealand will reach four million tomorrow.

Government statistician Brian Pink said a New Zealander was born every six minutes and 48 seconds and that the one who would arrive at 5.30pm tomorrow would take the country past the four million mark.

But Mr Peters said the figure was probably reached a long time ago because of the number of overstayers in the country.

"The only immigration record kept is a card filled in by the person arriving," he said in a statement.

"There is no way of checking the card for accuracy and if the individual later applies for residency or enrols as a student, the figures are not amended accordingly."

New Zealand's social, economic and physical infrastructure could not cope with the population increase, particularly in Auckland, Mr Peters said.

"If immigration is not curbed, the problems will become insurmountable."

Statistics NZ chief demographer Mansoor Khawaja said the population was calculated using an internationally recognised system based on the last census. It was adjusted for overstayers, he said.

- NZPA

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