http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00229.htm
"Many of our skilled trades-people and professionals, our teachers and our nurses, have moved on to Australia and elsewhere. (And in case you imagine that Labour's outrageous student loan bribe would fix the problem, it would not: contrary to public perception, very few people with student loans have gone overseas - only 6% of the student loans currently outstanding are owed by people overseas.)
But that is not what I intend to talk about today,"
Gee, think it oculd be because they earn more money over there?
Teachers and nurses, who get paid by the government? Wouldn't taxes be necessary to pay for them?
Don, you're a bloody idiot. Don't try to drive our country.
"if we think that 14% of our workforce on welfare is good enough at a time of buoyant international conditions;"
Say what? What about our much-toted low low unemployment? Where'd this figure come from?
"But only by stemming the outflow of Kiwis will New Zealand, in twenty years' time, still be recognisably Kiwi."
See what I mean? Idiot. Go back 20 years and the 'kiwi' (hell, did we call ourselves that then!?) New Zealand would have been a different place anyway. cultures shift. For one thing we didn't acknowledge Maori enough I'm sure.
Okay I just read a bit too long to quote, but basically he outlined how NZ is an immigrant culture and plenty of our 'heroes' are/were from overseas and how if we don't have immigration our poipulation will go into decline numerically. And somehow form this he figures harder ways to get into the country are required?
Say it with me: Idiot.
"If immigrants don't like the way we do things in New Zealand, then they chose the wrong country to migrate to."
"If National doesn't like the way we do things in New Zealand, then they chose the wrong country to run for election in."
"National will reduce the refugee quotas to a total of 750. The Refugee Family Quota will be scrapped and included in the reduced quota, and limited to immediate family only."
Because, with National running things, we want the world to know New Zealand cares.
"We will ensure migration cases are dealt with quickly and fairly but with reduced access to appeals which are simply designed to delay and frustrate migration compliance action."
Y'know what? I find extended legalese stupid and annoying too. But you can't bloody get rid of it because sometimes it is bloody needed! The price we pay for getting things right is that it takes a long time.
I don't think appeals are there just to confuse matters. they are there to try and make sure we get things right.
"This election is about addressing that gap, and fixing the other social issues that lead New Zealanders to abandon the land of their birth."
I wasn't actually born here. If my writing ever does get famous Australia will be claiming me I'm sure. My mother wasn't born here either. But both of us consider ourselves New Zealanders. I don't know about her, but I don't see myself of at all Australian.
I like to see ANZAC cameraderie, but that's another matter.
Don seems quite hung up on this birthplace issue. People want to live in New Zealand and be here and be part of our country. People already here leave and many come back down the track. While their overseas, who do they say they are? How many do we have that change their citizenship, like people coming here?
It can't be about bithplace. That is something no-one can control. But about how you identify yourself, that's something that can be looked at.
National did say a couple of things I liked. For example, apparantly at the moment an immigrant of the Investor catagory has to leave their investment with the government for 5 years, which I think is silly.