Nor should there be any surprise that National’s keen to keep skilled workers in the country. It’s what business wants. And, generally speaking, what business wants - with a Government right-of-centre - it gets.
So before we go barking mad on migration, let’s look at the facts.
Is this an Oprah car competition, carte blanche residency lolly scramble? No.
The numbers? Somewhere between 3,500 and 9,000 people. Which barely touches the sides of our 4.3 million working-age population.
Will they flood in from all corners of the earth? No. They’re already here. You have to be working here in order to qualify and proven yourself. You have to be well-paid - at least $36 an hour - and qualified. This is not a low-rent crowd.
Is this a back door into Australia? Well, it can be. But to get through that door, you first have to become a citizen of New Zealand.
Let’s call that a 10 year process, plus the Minister reckons a further four across the ditch before you’re a citizen there. So if you’re willing to spend 14 years gaming the system to become a citizen of Australia, you probably deserve it in my book.
Is this, as Winston's press release claimed, another example of our proud wee country being fleeced by take-all-give-nothing migrants? We train them up and look after them, then they ditch us across the ditch?
No. These people are already trained and experienced and they will pay taxes like the rest of us.
Does he have a point on the wider problem we have with educating and training people who are actually born here? Yes.
But as even he points out, Governments of all stripes have been trying to fix that problem for decades and the fix remains elusive.
But in the meantime, why punish decent Kiwi businesses who’ve managed to find themselves a decent, skilled worker?
Welcome to globalisation. We sell stuff to the world, using, in part, a global workforce to do it.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
3 comments:
Perhaps we should initiate a CTT (Compulsory Trade Training) for those who leave school and fail to get suitable employment within say six months of leaving. After all, we use to have CMT (Compulsory Military Training) which set many a wayward lad on a much better path.
It will be better if ALL migrants have a compulsary 2 year work trial period in NZ before being granted citizenship!
Mr Luxon can't say i didn't warn him, Nicola Willis' dishonest and unintelligent performance could cost Luxon the election.
Luxon received a low score alongside Willis from NZ's top CEOs state of the nation report.
The score is even worse when you consider banks, electricity companies, and supermarket CEOs all gave Willis 10/5.
The Wright family have a knack for making millions from business success. I was bouyed by their support of an alternative media outlet but shocked they chose Sean Plunkett to lead the organisation.
The Wrights realized their error and bailed out of the platform.
Meanwhile, Plunkett continues his unintelligent personal attacks and annoying talk over style.
Plunkett's attempted, concocted, dishonest, debasement of Prof McCulloughs enlightening Nicola Willis criticism was worse journalism than the evil MSM Plunkett loves to (mostly rightfully) debase!
It's a shame Michael Law's clever insights will be taken off air when Plunkett's belligerent, duplicitous, story telling leads to the imminent financial failure of the platform.
Gone by XMAS!
Globalisation is being rejected.
New Zealanders have never been consulted on immigration. It should not be dictated by big business alone.
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