Call to relax immigration criteria

Press, 17 June 1988, Page 3

Call to relax immigration criteria

Local authority representatives yesterday called on the Government to relax the criteria for immigration to allow more skilled and semi-skilled immigrants. The talents and skills of immigrants would benefit New Zealand, delegates at the Local Government Association conference in Christchurch decided. Delegates, swayed by the arguments of Cr David Marshall, Deputy Mayor of Napier, believed an increase in immigrants would lead to a drop in unemployment, an increased demand for services, and a decrease in inflation. These predictions were based on a computer study of the New Zealand economy. However, Napier’s remit calling for relaxed immigration quotas was not passed without dissent. Some delegates felt that immigrants should not be encouraged when unemployment stood at 120,000. People could not be drafted at Auckland and instructed to live in particular parts of New Zealand, said Cr Carl Harding, of Waitemata City. “Ultimately they go to Auckland. Auckland is growing fast enough without bringing people here. Our population is already costing too much,” he said. The skills of carefully screened immigrants could help create jobs, said Cr Marshall. Australia ran a policy of attracting 130,000 immigrants a year until 2001, about twice that proposed for New Zealand. Provincial areas needed the stimulus these immigrants could offer, he said. Two other remits passed by the conference were for refuse disposal and collection to be added to the list of essential services requiring 14 days notice of industrial action, and for changes to local government law to allow chairmen of authorities to be deposed on a majority vote of members.