For too long New Zealand has treated immigration as a game of political football, depending on the colours of the political party or parties holding the Beehive. From the Green Party wanting to let in all asylum seekers and refugees, to New Zealand Firsts track record of criticizing people of colour, it has been a popular game albeit one few seem willing to progress.
A person with a degree of knowledge will know that this country is built on immigrants, and has been since Day 1. Europeans still make up 67% of the ethnic pie in New Zealand, Maori account for 17.8%, Asians for 17.3%, Pasifika people 8.9% and those from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa 1.9%.
I have no problems with people coming. What I have a problem with is whether or not the screening process that determines who is suitable, works. Right now I am not sure that it does. It could be for any number of reasons, but I would consider underfunding/staffing/resourcing of Immigration New Zealand to be probably the main cause them doing the job that they do. And to improve on the quality of the immigration service not only for New Zealand/ers, but also the migrants who use it, changing that under funding/staffing/resourcing needs to happen.
The idea that gets floated by the right that citizenship is a commodity that can be bought and sold completely undercuts all I ever understood citizenship anywhere to be – something that is earned by respecting the customs of the country, not committing any criminal offences and being a good worker. Thus, New Zealand residency and citizenship should not be for sale, no matter how much money is offered. And some of the political parties recognize this, but many do not.
The Opportunities Party is one that does recognize that citizenship is something that should not be treated like a commodity and will work to change that if it gets into Parliament. I would go further and bar the use of currency as a form of leverage in any stage of immigrating to N.Z., other than paying legal fees.
For me both residency and citizenship are earned.
I know people – and indeed have relatives – who have become New Zealand citizens by following legal criteria and meeting the conditions set. I salute them. I would like to think though that the process will be streamlined somewhat to enable permanent residency after 2 years and citizenship after 4 years if one meets all of the residency requirements in that time, and has no criminal record. Currently one can apply for residency after 2 years, but citizenship is only possible after 5 years.
I have no problems with the requirements that the greater period of time (184 days in each year) in 2 year permanent residency be spent in New Zealand. One has to demonstrate a commitment to the country and to their applications – indeed, I would push that out to 244 days (2/3 of each year).
New Zealand constantly talks about having an advanced economy with a skilled workforce, but persistently undermines its own rhetoric.
Politicians underestimate the value of the N.Z. passport to non-New Zealanders. Currently the Passport Index ranks us at No. 6, and we have access on a N.Z. passport to 172 other countries. The Henley Passport Index, which I rely on when commenting places us at No. 7, but we have visa free access to 190 out of 227 territories worldwide.
Equally coveted is N.Z. citizenship, and it has fallen victim to some questionable characters over the years with American billionaire Peter Thiel being granted it after spending just 12 days in the country. Normal practice requires 1350 days across a five year period to be spent in New Zealand.
I want this country to grow. For that to happen though, a few things need to happen:
- New Zealand needs to stop seeing Immigration New Zealand funding as an expenditure item and start viewing it as an investment in our future
- The law needs revisiting to stop Peter Thiel-type people from being granted the holy grail of being a New Zealander without first putting in the work
- Civics needs to become compulsory in New Zealand – The Opportunities Party said that they support this from Year 6 at school
- The penalties for abusing passports and visas need to tighten up to show that the system is not for gaming – it might seem secure compared to some other countries, but as in any system there is room for abuse
- Asylum seeker and refugee support should be increased and a resettlement centre opened in Christchurch similar to the one in Mangere; the quota needs to increase too, but not before we stop making the existing one so unnecessarily hard to fill
Leftist Kiwi Writes 