IT IS only fair to acknowledge my brethren in Fairfax's regional media, when they point out, with the help of surveys, how little of a ripple immigration is when it comes to an election issue.
This is hardly a surprise to me. I've already vented my disgust at Winston Peters' speech topics during his visits to Masterton, and his attempt to scare us with visions of thousands of immigrants arriving coming to New Zealand to fill houses and jobs. Putting aside the issue that he wasn't particularly accurate with his figures, he was pandering to a prejudice that only exists in a minority. This is not France, or Europe, where you can win elections by bashing immigrants. New Zealand, culturally, is accepting of immigration. And so we should be: we are all not that far removed from those who came to New Zealand as pioneers.
That "stock", I believe, genetically lies within us. We can't help but admire those who take a chance for a better life.
It's almost insulting - and hypocritical - to our heritage to denigrate those who come to our shores.
So, what will get candidates the tick on election day?