[xanctus]

Anyone have read this?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501154&objectid=10471809

Here we go again with blaming the immigrants over housing matters.

Sorry if I post in the wrong sub folder...
Admin, you can move to the correct sub folder if it's supposed to be.
Thanks

[Marco]

Hi,

It is luckily only 1 MP that has expressed these ideas and if we all stay sensible and vote for the right people (if you have residency and live in NZ over a year you are eligible to vote) this will never going to be law (I hope).

On the other hand, unfortunately, it is not only the housing market where discrimination occurs either. It seems to be a fact of life, wherever you live.

Cheers,
Anita

[nickydwuk]

This is a similar arguement to one here in the UK. Since previous governments have sold off a lot of council houses there are not enough to go round. It seems that the available houses (especially the larger ones) are being given to immigrants rather than British people.I know this because both my sisters have tried in the past to get a council place and have been told (although not in so many words) that if they were immigrants who did not speak english and with no job they would be at the top of the list.

There was some talk earlier this year about prioritising council houses for the British first then immigrants but it never really got off the ground.

[Rusty]

I read quite a few pages of the papers answers and it seems there is a confusion between immigrants and refugees - is this right or a deliberate misleading by the MP?

[Nick88]

The immigrants in question will be Pacific Islanders, mainly Samoans. They can come into NZ (as long as they don't admit to having a criminal record) as and when they like. They qualify for benefits etc straight away.

[scoobydoo]

The immigrants in question will be Pacific Islanders, mainly Samoans. They can come into NZ (as long as they don't admit to having a criminal record) as and when they like. They qualify for benefits etc straight away.

Not sure about that. We've met quite a few Samoans - there's a quota and application process (job offer / family) and application fee just like other routes.

I read the article about housing too. Funny how us immigrants soak up state houses AND drive the private house market prices up at the same time.... not an easy task....

[Marco]

This of course is NOT about skilled immigrants who will not have problems finding housing with their own sources of money and moreover, during your two years stay on a residence visa you are even not eligible for state housing - as far as I know. You have to be able to care (financially) for yourself, that's why they have the visa process in place. It is about other immigrants, but that is not the point, is it?
Aren't we all people!?
And shouldn't we just stop with putting people in 'boxes'?
I know it is hard to prevent doing so, but it would make such a nicer world.

Anita