Immigration report 'nonsensical': Winston Peters
A report which concludes immigration is good for New Zealand and says the gates should stay open has been described by Winston Peters as "academic gobbledygook" based on nonsensical statements.
Think tank the New Zealand Initiative published the report on Monday.
It says immigration during the past several centuries turned an uninhabited island into one of the best countries to live in.
It acknowledges that net migration of 69,000 in the 2015/16 year raised valid concerns about competition for jobs and housing, but says politicians have harnessed fear and confusion about possible links with terrorism.
Winston Peters. Photo: Getty
The NZ First leader says the report reflects a "jaundiced and biased" point of view.
"NZ Initiative has skewed its research to its advantage - to keep a lid on wages and add competition in the workforce," he said on Monday.
"The researchers deliberately ignore major inquiries, like the influential House of Lords committee which stated that record levels of immigration have had `little or no impact' on the economic wellbeing of Britons."
– With NZN
