Not so beneficial?

[MotherBear]

Migrant benefit 'overstated'
By DAN EATON - The Press | Saturday, 7 April 2007

Immigration does not benefit New Zealand as much as the Government claims, according to new research.

Current policies are also hitting Kiwi families in the pocket and the number of new immigrants should be slashed, says its author, a Massey University economist.

The research, by Greg Clydesdale, who teaches at the university's department of management and international business in Auckland, drew a rapid response yesterday from the Government.

Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said attracting skilled migrants was "a must" for economic growth.

He said links drawn in the research between soaring house prices, mortgage rates and immigration were too simplistic.

Clydesdale said New Zealanders were not being given an accurate assessment of how immigration was affecting the economy and that most previous research on the subject resembled a "wish list", with little hard data showing economic benefits.

The Government is approving more people for temporary work permits and permanent residency as it seeks to plug worker shortages.

More here .

[Glenda]

Blaming the immigrants? There is a standing joke that the immigrant quota with their imported bank deposits help keep the country afloat.

:)

[KiwiHopeful]

Probably more politcally expedient to blame immigrants than to lay the blame on the thousands of Kiwis who have gone off to Oz or the UK to seek their fortunes rather than making them at home. Or, perhaps I'm wrong and he truly believes the old saw: "A kiwi who moves to Australia raises the IQ of both countries!" ;)