RobClubley

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3973886a10.html

I can't believe this is serious!

P2L

I don't see how NZ would stand a chance on the international front if it were to implement selection by the colour of someones skin.

Not only that, as the article says, there is a massive skills shortage within NZ which is never going to be filled without immigrants, unless they are going to prohibit NZers from leaving for their "OE". Could you imagine the uproar if that was to happen

Beachcombers

"What we are talking about is the number of people coming into this country and what that means for Maori political representation," Mrs Turia said.

Hmmmm....It's a shame they did not get another seat in parliment, but this kind of smacks of sour grapes.

Gill and Rob

Maori could of had another seat if enough Maori had registered. The thing is not all Maori share the same views as the Maori party. A lot of Maori I know are only too happy to live side by side with pakiha.

Rob

southerner

They are not necessarily mutually exclusive - living side by side with pakeha and having a specific political voice. The Maori party does not believe in a separatist state so far as I am aware, in fact it only came into existence because of a specific issue - the Foreshore and Seabed legislation.

southerner

To some extent NZ is already targetting particular source countries, if not explicitly ethnicity. A lot more resources are put into recruiting from Europe and North America than in other countries, and going forward IT recruitment will be targetted towards Asia (mainly India I presume).

Turia is normally a fairly accomplished politician, which makes her reported comments quite surprising.

Its one thing to observe that the natural "browning" of NZ will be lessened by the current immigration trends. Its another thing altogether to infer the immigration policy is maybe deliberately slanted towards counter balancing the natural growth rates in population.

Littletoe

Doesn't Pakeha mean 'white pig' ?

There's an article about this in the Telegraph today, what it does mean they're not playing the race card because they're not talking about Asians? Isn't this a contradiction? At least Helen Clarke hasn't agreed with this view or else it could be very worrying for us expats wanting to migrate

Apple12

It is just politics, not something to get your knickers in a knot about.

Pakeha generally means anyone that is not Maori, you can decide whether or not to be offended by it, but IMHO it is simply not worth the stress. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakeha.

You have to remember that the Maori Party is a small party in a system of proportional representation. While they came to Parliament largely on a single issue, they have to find ways of making news and being in the spotlight as it is only a year and a half until the next election and they have to remain "relevant" in order to get voted back in. The Greens are in the same boat, although in a stronger position, so you will see strange things said by the Greens in order to get the debate going.

Littletoe

Trust me my little fruit, my knickers are well and truly unknotted. Just thought I'd add my two cents/pence* (delete as applicable) in having read about it today. I was just curious about the pakeha thing, I think I read it in the Lonely Planet or something like that. I love the way in NZ politics, people just say what they're thinking, taking old Winston Peters for instance. Always makes me chuckle. Spin Doctors definetly don't exist in NZ!!