Editorial One
You would never fail to notice the excitement in the eyes of those (especially statisticians, immigration officials and the Party in power) when they exclaim (with pride or prejudice), “We are increasingly becoming multicultural and New Zealand is the most tolerant society in the world and welcomes foreigners with open arms.”
Rhetoric and propaganda apart, one question that we always ask in conferences and public debates is, “Are we prepared for the demographic, cultural and most important of all, work place changes that will come about because of a sharp rise in immigration?”
No one, including our dear friend, Labour MP and veteran politician (in that order) Phil Goff (who organised an enormously successful ‘Ethnic Communities and the Future of Work Seminar’ held on August 29, 2015- read separate story under Homelink) seems to have considered the challenges and problems that such changes will bring to our society, communities, workplaces and our homes.
Positive effects
There are of course several positive effects of migration and demographic alterations. Imagine, a Hindu arriving at work clad in the traditional shervani and kurta (or in a Rajasthani printed saree with matching blouse and jewellery) on Diwali Day, a Muslim bringing tasty Biryani on the first day of Eid Al Fitr or a Christian narrating the virtues of Retreat – all these men and women will endear themselves to their colleagues and bosses.
And yet, the question that looms large is, “Are we prepared to accept these changes?”
Immigration, and not just from China or India, has indeed been surge over the past two years. While the recession caused net migration (immigration minus emigration) to tail off towards the end of Labour’s term in November 2008, economic recovery has drawn immigrants back.
For the first time ever, net migration to New Zealand reached 47,684 for the year to October 2014. This total has been reached off the back of 107,200 international migrant arrivals, and 59,500 international migrant departures.
Britain’s grand failure
The previous highest mark for annual net migration was 43,500, set in the year to August 2014, and 42,500 set in the year to May 2003.
United Kingdom has set a similar record. The latest figures show that net migration was 298,000 in the year ending September 2014, higher than when the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition came to power.
The figure makes a mockery of Prime Minster David Cameron’s promise (to which he insists he will stick), to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands per year.
His government tried. It abolished visas that allowed students to stay after completing their degrees. It squeezed the numbers of highly skilled migrants allowed entry and closed schemes allowing unskilled workers in from outside the EU. It insisted that Britons wanting to bring foreign spouses into the country earn at least £18,600 a year—more if the couple have children. Yet such measures have had little impact on the headline figure because they do not affect EU migrants. The latest to arrive are Romanians and Bulgarians, to whom Britain fully opened its labour market in January 2014.
British distaste
Britons have long disliked mass immigration. Even in 1995, when net migration was well under 100,000, two-thirds wanted it cut. But they worry more about it these days. Since the beginning of 2014 voters have consistently cited immigration as the first or second most important issue facing the country. As the economic outlook has brightened, the shadow of immigration has grown comparatively darker.
If elected, the Conservatives vow they would restrict new immigrants’ access to welfare and clamp down further on abuses of the system. Labour would get rid of the overall net-migration target—though it, too, would make EU migrants wait longer for out-of-work benefits. It is likely that few voters will believe either party. Two-thirds tell pollsters that the government has no real control over immigration.
Many Britons do, however, like what they hear from the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Its stridency on the subject is the most important factor in its rise—more important even than its hostility to the EU. UKIP says it will allow employers to discriminate on the basis of job applicants’ nationality. It promises to crack down on illegal immigration and boost the border agency. Migrants would only be eligible for unemployment benefits and for Britain’s generous in-work benefits after spending some years in the country. UKIP also wants Britain to leave the EU, which would allow the country to regulate European immigration much more strictly.
