Winston Peters is trying to drive a wedge between the Chinese community and the rest of New Zealand in a sad attempt to engender support for his party, ACT Party president John Boscawen says.
“In a speech today, Winston made a number of assertions aimed at establishing a false picture that Chinese immigrants take more from New Zealand than they contribute. This is far from the truth,” Mr Boscawen says
Chinese families who immigrate here are hard-working people who move to make a better life for themselves and their children. In the process, many start their own businesses, employ staff, pay taxes, invest heavily in education and contribute to the growth of New Zealand’s economy, the ACT president says.
"Every year, thousands of Chinese students arrive on our shores to pay top dollar to gain qualifications from our universities. The universities benefit from increased revenue, and the students’ time here, immersed in our culture, serves to strengthen economic ties between China and New Zealand.
“China is New Zealand’s second biggest trading partner. In 2011, bilateral trade between our two nations amounted to $12.7 billion and this will continue to grow.
“Tourism is one of our most significant export industries. Why shouldn’t the Government do all it can to attract wealthy Chinese visitors to our country to spend their tourist dollar? Australians don’t even need a visa to visit New Zealand, so the idea that some Chinese visitors getting ‘fast-tracked’ visas amounts to special treatment is laughable.
“Winston also claimed that non-resident Chinese buyers are one of the major drivers behind the Auckland housing affordability crisis. This is unfounded. The latest BNZ-REINZ survey shows that Chinese buyers represent a mere 1.3 per cent of the market. We don’t hear Winston complaining about the British who buy more homes than the Chinese do.
“The ACT Party rejects Winston’s claims that Chinese are somehow ripping New Zealanders off. Chinese migration and trade is of significant benefit to the New Zealand economy and, unlike NZ First, the ACT Party welcomes their contribution,” Mr Boscawen says.
NBR staff
Mon, 24 Jun 2013
Mon, 24 Jun 2013
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Winston’s attack on Chinese community sad and unfounded - Boscawen
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