The Theatre Of Politics

As sure as night follows day, an election year means an attack on foreigners by New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters and his Party.

With Mr Peters being a little constrained this time round by his position as Foreign Affairs Minister, however, it was NZ First Deputy Leader Peter Brown who was wheeled out last week to attack Asian immigration.

Statistics New Zealand figures have shown that New Zealand's Asian population is expected to grow faster than any other and projected to increase by 3.4 percent a year, taking the country's Asian population from 400,000 in 2006 to an estimated 790,000 - out of a total population of 4.94 million - by 2026.

Mr Brown's response was to suggest that there are already too many Asian immigrants in the country. Unfortunately for NZ First, Mr Brown wasn't quite as effective as his Leader: firstly, Mr Brown is a British migrant - which puts him in a weak position to criticise. Secondly, being of Maori descent, Mr Peters can get away with more on the racial front.

Mr Peters has attacked the Free Trade deal with China while simultaneously serving in the government signing the deal. For sheer gall it takes the breath away. It also shows great hypocrisy of NZ First, which supports Labour on matters of confidence and supply and could bring down the Government but has no intentions of doing so. The rhetoric condemning the Free Trade Agreement is entirely empty. Mr Peters won't resign and will continue to enjoy the 'baubles of office'.

NZ First will continue to support Labour when it counts, staging mock combat - like jousting knights - on pre-agreed issues. The Prime Minister's seemingly calm reaction to Mr Peters' comments was telling - she is not known for tolerating mutiny from her Ministers.

Not wanting NZ First to have a monopoly on anti-foreigner sentiment, Labour - while signing the Free Trade deal with China - has done its best to hinder the purchase of shares in Auckland Airport. First it was the Dubai consortium; now it is the proposed purchase of a minority shareholding of Auckland Airport Limited shares by that great foreign danger: a Canadian pension fund. All the while the 'Cullen Fund' buys assets internationally.

The Labour Minority Government's other partner United Future has also waded into the debate. Leader Peter Dunne has called for Mr Peters' resignation saying that his objections to the Free Trade deal make his opposition as Foreign Affairs Minister "untenable".

Mr Dunne, however, isn't so outraged about the NZ First comments that he would resign on principal - he'll continue serving as a Minister alongside Mr Peters whilst publishing press statements condemning him.

National too has given tacit approval to Winston Peters' racial stand - when asked if he would be willing to accept Mr Peters as Foreign Affairs Minister as part of a future National-led Government, Leader Mr Key said: "Conceivably, yes".
So it is all meaningless talk, stage-managed for the election but, not matched by action. But with economic problems increasing it is time for some clear thinking. Should New Zealand settle for immigration, de-population or sound economic management?

While only infrequently remarked upon, the real problem made headlines in an unusual way a year or so ago in a KPMG report that made the point - in a very funny way - when it highlighted New Zealand's 'Man Drought'. The lack of eligible men has made it harder for unattached women in their 30s to 'find a man' as single women in their 30s outnumber single men by a large margin. On the face of it this is surprising, as nature tends to favour a surplus of male births, but the gender imbalance is an example of the law of un-intended consequences: the migration of young New Zealanders abroad is more predominant by men than women.

What we should be asking is why there is an exodus at all. The number of people leaving New Zealand permanently is confused, as many leave with no fixed idea of how long they intend to be away. They usually intend to return at some point but become involved in work, study or love affairs overseas and never come back.

The fact is that New Zealanders - mainly young men - are leaving in large numbers. If we do not want population decline and want to fill the skills gaps we currently have, then we need immigration. The alternative is sound economic policies so that young people do not need to move overseas in order to prosper. Instead of the mass exodus of skilled Kiwis from our shores each week, we need policies that will bring our kids back.