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Treasury warning Govt that surge in temporary work visa arrivals and working foreign students lowering skill levels of migrants and pressuring productivity and wages; Peters calls for sharp cuts in migration; Little eyes changes; Key denies issue

Treasury warning Govt that surge in temporary work visa arrivals and working foreign students lowering skill levels of migrants and pressuring productivity and wages; Peters calls for sharp cuts in migration; Little eyes changes; Key denies issue

By Bernard Hickey

Debate is growing within Government and in the Parliament about whether a surge in the number of migrants with temporary work visas and foreign students able to work is actually improving the economy and GDP per capita, and whether the resulting pressure on infrastructure and housing costs is worth it.

Treasury has argued to Finance Minister Bill English and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse over the last year there was a growing risk that much of the migration by non-New Zealand citizens was of low skilled workers who were ending up in low-skilled jobs that could repress wages and take jobs that New Zealanders were skilled enough to fill.

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters, who has increased his support as preferred Prime Minister in opinion polls as migration has risen to record highs, has leapt on the Treasury research to argue for net migration to be slashed from over 65,000 currently to between 7,000 to 15,000 to take pressure off infrastructure and housing in Auckland.

Labour Leader Andrew Little has also questioned whether the Government should cut back on the number of temporary work visas to take pressure off the lower-skilled part of the labour market, although he stopped short of calling for the drastic cuts that Peters wants.

"With immigration pouring the equivalent of the population of New Plymouth in each year, and taxpayers pushed further back in hospital queues, we’re at breaking point,” Peters said.

“More than half all immigrants settle in Auckland. Motorways are clogged and housing is unaffordable and scarce. Immigration must focus on benefits to New Zealand – people we need, not people who need us," he said.

Peters challenged Prime Minister John Key in Parliament on Tuesday on the issue: "If he truly does not want New Zealanders to become, in his words, “tenants in their own country”—said in the campaign, of course—then why did his Government let immigration get so out of control that so many young New Zealand families today are going to be tenants and not owners of their homes?."

Key defended the current migration settings as 'about right' and downplayed the impact of lower-skilled arrivals.

"If one takes an objective look at the net migration numbers, they reflect a number of areas. They are largely the Kiwis not leaving or Kiwis coming home, they are people on working holidays, or they are students," Key told Peters in his answer to the Parliamentary question.

"I think most New Zealanders would see that as a pretty good thing," Key said.

Treasury warnings

Meanwhile, Treasury has released various briefing papers to English and Woodhouse from mid 2015 through to early 2016 detailing its concerns about the quality of migration and its impact on productivity and lower-skilled New Zealanders.

Its first paper expresses concerns about a plan to allow temporary migrants to Canterbury to move from one employer to the next without changing their visas.

"This effectively removes the labour market test for migrants moving within the Canterbury labour market, and means that employers who would not have been able to access migrant labour previously will now be able to. This creates a risk that roles that previously would have been able to be filled by local labour, would now be filled by migrant workers," It wrote.

A paper from May last year on the future direction of the immigration system recommended changes to increase the skill levels of migrants, including focusing on bringing in more entreprenuers.

"It is consistent with our recent advice to you about the risk of continued growth in low-skill migration and the opportunity to facilitate more high-skill migrants to New Zealand," Treasury wrote.

"New Zealand also needs to tailor residence policy more closely to expected economic impact: too many principal applicants who are unlikely to contribute much to economic performance are currently being granted residence on economic grounds, particularly through the Study to Work category," it wrote.

"Migrants can contribute to New Zealand’s economic performance across the skill spectrum, particularly where there are supply bottlenecks, but at the lower end, some existing settings appear to add little value on a per capita basis, and risk crowding out opportunities for New Zealanders."

Treasury pointed out in another paper that temporary work flows were now much larger than permanent flows and were rising due to large increases in Working Holiday Scheme approvals.

"Increasing temporary flows through Working Holiday Visas does not appear to be viewed as a high risk strategy for New Zealand, but they provide relatively low returns in terms of GDP per capita, and may lead to actual or perceived negative impacts on New Zealanders working in low-skilled, low-wage industries," it said.

"Although this would be more challenging to achieve, there would be greater value in developing more generous, targeted reciprocal arrangements for more highly-skilled migrants with specific countries of interest (one of the hardest to achieve, but arguably the most valuable, would be the United States). There would be considerable value in making it easier for people with skills that New Zealand could benefit from to understand their entry options, including through better marketing and online “visa checker” facilities."

Treasury said the relative lack of control over temporary migration increased the risk of actual or perceived negative effects on the New Zealand labour force, particularly at the lower end.

It also pointed out that many skilled migrant category applicants were not employed in shortage sectors.

"Increasingly, skilled migrants are employed in low earning ‘skilled’ jobs not associated with specialist training or qualifications, such as Café or Restaurant Managers and Retail Managers," Treasury said, also noting that in recent years that 80% of those granted permanent residence had already been in New Zealand as temporary migrants.

"The contribution of people flows to economic performance could also be increased by reducing the access of lower-value “skilled” migrants to permanent residence. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has noted trends towards increasing numbers and proportions of Skilled Migrant Category residence approvals for applicants with lower levels of skills than were anticipated when the policy was designed," it said.

'Former students getting permanent residence'

"From a purely economic point of view, it does not make sense to provide permanent residence to people working in low-earning retail management jobs. If these are agreed to be general areas of labour shortage, they are more appropriately dealt with through temporary visas, and through training New Zealanders," it said, adding that over a third of Skilled Migrant Category primary applicants in recent years had been former international students.

"However, former students have relatively little relevant work experience and are more likely to be unemployed or out of the labour force than other skilled migrants This reflects a growing trend for individual Study to Work applicants to seek lower-level and generic qualifications as a low-cost path to residence. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment reports that these former students are more likely to take up semi-skilled service sector employment. There are also indications of ‘gaming’ via job title inflation and people paying for job offers."

It also noted former students who had graduate or higher-level qualifications were less likely to remain in New Zealand after receiving residence.

Dairy and aged care reliant on migrants

Treasury said some New Zealand industries, including dairying and aged care, relied relatively heavily on low-to moderately-skilled migrant labour due to labour shortages.

"In these sectors, migrants can have long-term temporary status, but very little prospect of converting to permanent residence. These migrants have limited access to services in New Zealand for themselves and their families. Their children grow up essentially “as New Zealanders”, but with none of the associated rights because of their temporary status. In any particular year, a visa can be declined and migrant workers expected to leave the country," Treasury said.

"The status quo creates a number of risks, not least to New Zealand’s reputation as a nation that treats migrants fairly. When migration is genuinely temporary, most parties to the transaction accept that lower levels of entitlement are reasonable and make economic sense. However, longstanding temporary migrants without residence status integrate less well, which compromises social cohesion," it said.

"It appears likely that existing policy settings are supplying too many low-productivity workers, and failing to supply sufficient workers with skills that would have greater economic impact. While it is possible for some top tier migrants to enter New Zealand without a job offer, this process is neither easy, nor quick, nor available to the majority of very highly-skilled migrants Study-to-work thresholds should be recalibrated to ensure that the types of students granted residence after graduation are more likely to contribute to improved economic performance," Treasury said.

"While the impacts on the export education industry need to be borne in mind, international comparisons suggest higher minimum achievement levels are warranted. Although detailed discussion of this issue is beyond the scope of this paper, New Zealand should continue to evaluate whether existing policy settings related to temporary entry (particularly for Working Holiday schemes and Silver Fern visas) could be more focused on the skills of migrants and the needs of businesses," it said.

"Some existing policy settings provide residence via skilled migration schemes streams to people who make a minimal contribution to economic performance, and may reduce GDP in per capita terms."

In a separate presentation, Treasury said it was possible that migrants were competing with and substituting for low-skill local labour.

"Also, the availability of low-skill migrant labour could be providing a ‘path of least resistance’ for low-productivity sectors of the economy," it noted.

"As a significant proportion of permanent and temporary labour migrants work in lower wage occupations, and recent trends show a relative decline in the skill level of permanent migrants. Migrants are meeting firm demands for labour and skills, but increasingly in low productivity growth industries and lower wage and skilled jobs," it said.

"Our current approach to selecting migrants may have encouraged reliance over time on lower-skilled labour in some parts of the economy. This may have been discouraging some firms from either increasing wages and working conditions or investing, either in training existing workforce or in capital."

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78 Comments

The PM is arrogant and disingenuous, he is no longer serving the needs of the people and should be sacked.

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In other news it was confirmed today that New Zealand's Prime Minister - John Key - has no soul.

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He's been down to the Crossroads. He has a soul .... just it's been sold to the devil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGrnUdGAWUE

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Yeah but he never learned how to play the guitar like that. God how good was that Crossroads solo on Wheels of Fire ?

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Or - if your prefer in the original - Robert Johnson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd60nI4sa9A

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JK is definitely no Robert Johnson

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Too raw for me. I bet Key listens to the Bieber version.

This one is pretty chilled out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZfTuJWt_M8

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Camel's back , Totally correct, the only wrong part was "that he is no longer server the needs of the people", he never has been, but somehow he kept the wool over a remarkable amount of eyes

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That exchange is simply conduct unbecoming a Prime Minister. This isn't school yard politics - it's the biggest moral, social and economic issue in New Zealand. I have friends with kids whose hearts are broken everyday when they read how in a few months house prices have risen by an amount equivalent to their life savings that were already insufficient to make a deposit. Yet here we see that John Key treats it like a frat boy political debate. You are not 21 years old Mr, Key and your hair isn't bleached blonde - grow up, you disgrace of a person, and disaster of a leader.

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In a real workplace these days you would not get away with such behavior in management. So why do we allow and tolerate it with MP's?

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If he worked my company I'd fire him in a heartbeat. Little prat.

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I disagree. Not little, at all.

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So we get what we deserve? NZ has descended into a self interested hell hole, and we have the 'leader' that sums us up...
Long gone is the egalitarian values of yore.
Where did it all go wrong?
It sounds really fatalistic but I really hope the ponzi crashes and this country is taught a proper lesson....

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You leave Max out of it

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For once I agree with Winston Peters. Key wont change tack until the polls start to move against him. The government can manage the 12 month rolling rate of inward migration if it wants to. Given the governments unwillingness to act it should be given to the reserve bank as a macro tool to manage.

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It's all OK, it seems if John Key just denies it is a problem..... no NZ tax havens (none of the 12,000 are suspect after his search of the internet), no housing problems (after his search of trademe) and no migration problem (I assume he's done his usual detailed research on that too).

Voltaire in Candide must have had foresight and be able to model Dr Pangloss on John Key - this is indeed 'the best of all possible worlds' at least here in New Zealand. No problems in sight.

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What will it take for him to actually do the job he was elected to do? A tasering?

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We know the drill.

Today- deny deny deny theres a problem;

Thursday, focus group reports are in;

Minutes before the All Blacks kick off announce an inquiry by an "impartial and beyond reproach expert" like ex National Cabinet minister and immigration spriuker Aussie Malcom.

Hide behind said inquiry until MSM moves on (approx two days)

Welcome findings when they eventually emerge which endorse govt actions but none the less show bold and proactive leadership by tinkering with points system while holding immigration doors wide open.

If all else fails announce Panda's or have Ritchie move his wedding forward.

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SS exactly, just read up on the advanced sales skills communication of persuasion to see the playbook that is being rolled out.
- Trump does it.
- see BIl was trying it out yesterday (saying forget the fact that really debt and immigration fix each other).

Thing is jobs (for NZ passport holders) and per capita income and rising income (for NZ passport holders) are what people want. You know looking after your own (you and yours).

Thankfully only Auckland is acting like an Australian capital city - with the fire hose volume of credit the banks fire in. And the Australian corporate way of doing things.
See NAB read the BNZ being done for rigging and unconscionable conduct. Thats the 3rd of the 4 Oz banks being done for such by the regulator.

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Yes Henry, I watched the coverage on Sky News Australia last night. Murdoch is clearly helping the coalition sweep it under the carpet in the "nothing to see here" coverage. Society has become so dumbed down that blatant outright corruption is completely accepted as BAU. In time there will be fines imposed, no one will go to jail and the game will continue unabated. I hope the Labour party wins over there and gets its royal commission into banking in the vain hope that people will actually wake up to what is happening to them/us.

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I'd happily oblige.

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I'm waiting for the day he starts denying that he is the PM, after someone accuses him of it.
Surely such an event is not unlikely given his trend...

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And god knows there's a nice little core of dimwitted creepy suck-ups in the Young Nats who'd yap in unison that the allegation that JK is the prime minister is just Labour chasing cars.

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Two. Sometimes it takes a while to get through.

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I think John Key is doing an above average job and might be the best Prime Minister this country has had in a long while.

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Tui add Tuesday perhaps?

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Well the jokes on you then rastus, because that's my genuine opinion.

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My theory on JK is that he stands out due to the fact he is different than the usual No 8 wire PMs we normally have in NZ -(think Hill Billy Jim, Ethel Shipley or the Helen) we see him as a man of the world who actually has been there and done it while conveniently ignoring the dog eat dog characteristics of a money manager that as the tide starts to go out reveal he has in fact been swimming naked. History is full of the bright young things that have been given full reign only for it to end in tears and I am quite sure that is how it is going to end for him.

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please name his achievements since he came to power, I have plenty of counter argue with
GDP down
unemployment up
Debt up over 20% of GDP
farmers in trouble
house prices the most unaffordable in the world
gridlock in major centers costing productivity
government expenses up but service level reduced due to population growth

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If I were to believe even half of those claims I would left astonished at the power of one man.

I suspect people are just looking for someone to blame for their lot. But that's the role of Prime Minister and government in our society isn't it?

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Well people that guide policy and approve standards have great leverage.
As there is no one doing same job at same time qualitative determinations of performance tuf.

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Thank goodness the rest of us don't have to take any responsibility in life then.

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they did not call him the smiling assassin for nothing,
look how paula through herself under the bus to cover yet another of her bosses non truths
as was helen who ended many are parliamentary career if you crossed her.
we now run a US style democracy where the power is controlled at the top
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Housing): Yes. I told the Prime Minister that the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) was working in conjunction with NGOs, including the Salvation Army, to reach out to homeless people to see if they could offer assistance. I was not sufficiently clear that MSD was coordinating the activities and making staff available after hours to deal with any issues as they arose. He was 100 percent correct that the Salvation Army reported to MSD, after the first night, that of all the people they engaged, none wanted MSD’s help
Phil Twyford: Why has she not apologised for misusing the good name of the Salvation Army to try to blame homeless people for their plight and her failed housing policy?

Hon PAULA BENNETT: Actually, the mistake that was made was certainly me not being clear enough that MSD was not actively with the Salvation Army.

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key is definitely the best at one thing, pulling the wool over the eyes of idiots.

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So this would imply that 50% of the voting population in NZ are idiots?

Perhaps a fair call?

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only 78% of voters cast a vote last time and 47% of those voted for JK.
so I like to think positive and think its only a minority that believe his BS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_general_election,_2014

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The ones that don't vote and at the same time are most affected by immigration and housing policies of this government can indeed be labelled as complete morons - no question there.

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There has been no one of worth since Norm Kirk, thats far to long ago. SOme since have been good for one term then slowly fallen off - Id put key in that boat. He is the Teflon man,

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Well quite. Nowadays my standard is the one I think will do the least damage. A Prime Minister can wear as much teflon as she or he wants so long as they do not bankrupt the country in the process.

There are other issues, of course, but running an economy into the ground is easy to do and hard and painful to recover from.

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Nothing to see here Government

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For a qtr century, our migration inflows from the rest of the world was a badly needed top-up, to offset the ditch-jumping kiwis streaming out to richer pastures in 'open border' Oz. The picture has totally changed (for now) , so why haven't our immigration settings been tightened? We have traditionally aimed at a modest net inflow of around 15k pa, and this seems reasonable today, given our high unemployment rate of 5.7% This is a macro policy train wreck that makes RBNZ look good!!

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Presumably the policy-makers are worried about the looming demographic cliff-face, when more baby-boomers cease to participate in the workforce and withdraw their life savings. The average 'boomer born in 1955 will qualify for NZ Super in 2020.
To offset that drop-off, there has been an increase in working holiday schemes and student visas, along with more incentive to take part in retirement saving schemes like KiwiSaver.
It's a big gamble to take since presently there's more incentive to play the housing market than save in managed funds. Watch this space ...

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I am aware of attempts to recruit workers with high level mathematical skills and resulting PhD achievement not being adequate purely on the basis of their lack of communication ability. Yet these ex students who may have already been in low paid service work are likely to be eligible to apply for permanent residency.
Who checks that out?

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Good question as usual a nothing answer
Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why has Immigration New Zealand got rid of its verification teams in respect of skilled migrant applications; why was it disbanded in April 2015 with a 20 percent performance record and 80 percent not looked at at all?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member would have to ask the Minister of Immigration.

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John Key's beating around the bush is sickening. He gets all the sound and well-argued policy advice he needs, yet refuses to acknowledge that there is even as much as a problem. In my view, he has clearly crossed the line into the pathological. His behaviour is outside the bandwidth of normality.

He reminds me more and more of his political model, Germany's Angela Merkel. Master plan A is denial and sitting everything out. Plan B is to claim that it is all due to "globalization", like a natural disaster outside our control. Plan C is to blame international organizations and treaties which need to be honored. Plan D is reiterating Plan A.

The reality is mix of irrationality, irresponsibility, arrogance, plain incompetence and probably also no oversupply of intellectual ability.

Both countries, NZ and Germany need urgently term limits for PMs and much stronger elements of direct democracy (binding referenda) as a corrective against out of control, autocratic anti-elites.

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John Key, the 'Gentle Fascist'??
Maybe too harsh.
But you know what I mean.

I mean he operates in a cunning, slimey, crony-ish way that's kind of worse that an in your face dictator.

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Made millions as an FX wheeler-dealer and made a fool of us all by getting voted into an office far above his abilities. Who would not feel very smart about himself?

Even I thought Key was ok for a while, because in his lethargy and lack of vision he at least did not break anything. I used to think the same about Merkel. How wrong I was. People of their ilk are a clear and present danger to society.

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I would compare his appeal to that of a couple of historical leaders that completely destroyed their countries which took them decades to recover from. all the while blindly followed because of charisma by disciples.
when I talk to his sheeple and they say he is great for NZ they can not back it up with any positive facts, they all use the same line, well hes better than labour or the greens.
and when I say how do you know what they would have done for the last eight years, that is unknown because it never happened.
they just give the blank look shrug and normally repeat one of JKs non answers.
in ten to twenty years time those same people whose grandkids will need their support to buy a house or will even be living with them will be scratching their heads wondering how we got to that state

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Good remark. Same is happening pretty much anywhere else in the West. People hate the system, but think that anything else would be even worse and stick to it.

Except in God's own land, where they might break the deadlock and put and end to Clinton and her politics of hypocrisy.

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Trump is gaining huge support because good hard working people can see that they are beginning to suffer no matter what they do. This is very much not a left leaning movement but a realization by ordinary folk that they are being attacked by both sides. The rich are getting filthy rich while the army of beneficiaries grows and is being reinforced by illegal/legal immigration and intakes of refugees. In many cases the rich support the overwhelming of the American middle class as it is a win-win situation for them as they get to status signal as well as drive down wages and salaries and get cheap gardeners.
The people have had enough of the leeches on both sides, fighting stupid wars, wasting money, meddling in other countries, re-engineering society and so on. They are reinvigorating their identity. America was built by a Right-wing revolutionary movement that was hard working and dynamic and had fighting spirit.

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Your rhetoric needs amending. The leaches are only at the top. What beneficiaries get is a drop in the ocean compared to what the country is missing out on in tax evasion by wealthy corporations and individuals.
.
Nobody wants to be poor, deliberately.
.
And America wasn't built by a right wing revolutionary movement - I wonder where you get these ideas?
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America was built on:
1) slavery
2) illegal land grabs
3) massive government investment schemes (railway, roads)
4) and what made them a truly prosperous nation, was the result of economic stability and vigour due to a fair redistribution of wealth. And this was a direct result of the taxation brought in after 1929 and the New Deal.
.

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You summed it up perfectly Sharetrader, his supporters don't know why they think he's good, just that they do, they don't know why they think Labour or the Greens are bad, just that they do.
It's what the mainstream media tell them, including the likes of "Blue TVNZ", Redneck radio - NewstalkZB, Hosking, Henry etc, keys tentacles apparently reach a long way.

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His supporters think he is good because they are personally doing okay. Most people in NZ are happy hence National gets the high support. No one wants any Leftward revolutionary change just because a few people have made bad choices in their lives and now need helping out. Most NZers understand why each and every person is in the situation they are in.

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Smarmy slimeball playing his game as usual; nothing new to us, it's getting old fast. Just keep the pressure up eventually he will faulter and turn the people against himself with his attitude and policy.

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I bet the French wish they had been a bit tougher on immigration in the past.........just saying it is OK today doesn't mean it will still be OK in ten years time .......what might manifest in the future.

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Or the Brits, or the Germans, Italians, or even Australians. Yet, all of them have learnt nothing from past failure and are repeating their mistakes now on a much larger scale.

Similar to the financial world btw. We got into a global debt crisis about ten years ago and have fought it with yet more debt. We have learnt NOTHING.

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oh yes, so true.
The West is getting it's pay back for the neo-liberal, globalized fantasy it has been playing out the last 30 years

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The aspect of "deserved punishment" for all sorts of past bad behaviour, incl. colonialism, racism, etc. does indeed play a role here. By bringing completely without need problems, social strife and even terrorism into our societies we get in the eyes of the loony left the punishment we deserve.

You did not mean that, I know. The West has lost its marbles. We have exported our technology, knowledge and jobs and we are now importing trouble in return. Our tribal leaders are being offered the equivalent of glass beads in exchange for our land and future - and they are happily taking them.

Time for revolution.

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Quite right, but sadly most middle class earners won't rise to the challenge as it leaves too much at stake.. you may have noticed in recent years the lack of industrial action on issues involving education and health plus a wide range of social issues.
We are apathetic by nature and therefore we shrug our shoulders and move on regardless.

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Watching their kids' future being destroyed might even shake up the odd Kiwi.

If not, the New Zealand we know and love is doomed.

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Personally, I think the NZ we know and loved died sometime in the late 80s...
I mean nostalgia IS dangerous. Things weren't perfect. But at least most people's hearts were in the right places, and most kiwis cared for their fellow human being.
Remember Telethon? (he says wistfully)

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We are dulled by The Bachelor and My Kitchen Rules and Dancing with the Stars and the perennial Shortland Street . Media is the opium that is making sure that people don't wake up.

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Panem et circensis, as old as the hills of Rome.

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Yes - the best neighbor you can have is a new immigrant.
The worst neighbor you can have is a new immigrant when you are the only non immigrant in the street.

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Not to mention Northern Ireland or Palestine.

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I'm trying to see this "deny everything Baldrick" persona that our PM presents as simply a man who has no other option but to remain with the status quo.
Perhaps somewhere he and Bill have been told that if you cut migration in half and reign in rising house prices the whole economy will come to a crashing halt?
Our country appears to be riding its economy on this wave and it simply will remain popular for those in the property market.

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Treasury should be complimented on this exhaustive report and recommendations. They seem to have the welfare of Kiwis in their heart and sight. Too bad the message/warning had not been heeded and things have been allowed pretty much to go on as they are. The long term effect of such ill advised open migration of low skilled temporary workers and students who ultimately get residency will be felt for the next few years. And if it continues, for the next few decades.
This is a national crisis in full blow, pun not intended. Every one of the citizens and long term residents are going to pay for this for a long time.

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Seems like we have our own Angela Merkel, here in NZ ?

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Thank God that NZ does not have land boundaries, or John Merkel would have already invited the huddled masses.

Angela Key's offer to Turnbull to take his illegal migrants was rejected by Turnbull as an enticement for further illegal immigration. No comment from John Merkel, however. Of course, hehehe, enticing the huddled masses at our cost was the idea.

Btw, did you note how Key driveled all over Merkel when she came last year to visit the Kiwi shelter (I mean the birds)? Obviously, when he has grown up, he wants to be like her.

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Treasury warning......Key denies issue.

Christchurch projects at risk, says Treasury.....Mr Brownlee, however, rubbished the report, saying it did not mean a thing."It's the usual sort of rubbish from them."http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11649267

Also the same web site ........"Meanwhile, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has also hit back at Treasury following its criticisms about a national bowel screening programme. Treasury, which is monitoring the Government's riskiest projects, gave the programme a red rating, the worst possible."

Bit of a trend there. NZ need to remind itself who are the professionals here and who are the jumped up amateurs who normally only manage to waddle along under the guidance of the public service.

Embarrassing times.

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the problem they have is the time limit to blame the previous government has run out so they resort to there next favourite
deny there is a problem
delay until public opinion turns
steal policy from opposition parties and water down to be ineffective

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".... Key denies issue" classic

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He is a bit of a part time, do nothing PM isn't he?
I think at the end of the day most clear thinking kiwis would agree on this.

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Our immigration policy should be really simple .........We want young (ish) migrants to come here with skills and /or money , find work and/ or invest , contribute to our GDP, pay tax , and stay out of our jails and hospitals .

Mostly they do that , but I don't know how many actually pay tax and I would like to know how many do contribute

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Well well well I posted about a Chinese kiwi at an Auckland university that was selling papers to Chinese foreign Chinese students at rediculouse prices... Seems like its a global phenom, universities are a money making machine with degrees for sale rather than earned...
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-07/they-do-it-better-grades-study…

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Housing in New Zealand is no longer for New Zealanders, but for the highest international bidder. The same holds for education.

I wonder when our so-called government will stop taxing only New Zealanders but ask the whole world for taxes.

This is why I am saying that the government has broken the social contract and has no democratic legitimization.

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If we could get John Merkel onto the southern motorway at rushhour, this unrestricted immigration would cease
Overnight....

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