Immigration policy

Many discussions about immigration descend into name-calling but the issue can be tackled rationally once you realise nobody wants unlimited immigration so the argument is really about where a limit is set.

This is similar to the speed limit for drivers. Most of us don’t think about it but we all want a fairly enforced limit, and then there are two minorities — one which wants it generally increased and one which wants it reduced. It makes no more sense to label drivers who believe 120km/ h a sensible limit as “boy-racers” than it does to label every request for a reduction in immigration as “racist”.

Every country has its own immigration policy and implements it with varying success. New Zealand is no different; there are various quotas and immigrants must pass various tests. Those who are proimmigration would reduce the requirements and expand the quotas and those like myself who came to New Zealand for its peace and spaciousness and unique Kiwi identity would reduce the quotas and reduce the number of immigrants, especially for those who are poorly qualified.

It is sad that all the out-and-out racists happen to agree with me. And also sad that only NZ First is willing to tackle the issues relating to immigration and foreign ownership. It is time the major parties produced serious immigration policies rather than hiding behind their sound bites: “diversity” and “foreign economic investment” are important but do not match the reality voters see daily.

Once New Zealand has an immigration limit that is sufficiently flexible to handle Kiwis leaving and returning, the discussion should be who do we want and why. My own experience of obtaining residency 12 years ago was one of bureaucratic paperwork with minimal face-to-face interview and no checking of my reputation in the countries I had previously worked in.

Although nearly every immigrant I meet is happy to be living in New Zealand and benefits our country, almost every day in the Herald we read of immigration scams and major crimes involving immigrants. Bob Atkinson, Birkdale.