National has no idea how to house the record number of people entering New Zealand, let alone cope with the pressure on health, education, and transport from this record population growth, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

Most international students in New Zealand at PTEs (private training establishments) who have a plan for themselves after study intend to stay in New Zealand to work. This shows how low-level education has become a backdoor immigration route under National, says Labour Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

National’s under-investment in housing, public services, and infrastructure means New Zealand is literally running out of beds for the record number of new migrants, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

Today’s release of latest immigration statistics is further proof the Government has absolutely no plan for immigration and its impact on New Zealand, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“The statistics show another year in which records have been broken – in January 2017 71,300 more permanent and long term migrants moved to New Zealand – an increase of 4.7 per cent in one year alone.

The ejection of 41 international students, who now have deportation orders against them after the Minister has coldly rejected their appeals, is further evidence of a Government that is heartless and out of touch, says Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“The plight of these students who are seeking refuge in a church, and the potential for immigration officials and police to be raiding this church to extract the students, could cause significant damage to New Zealand’s reputation as a welcoming and progressive country – especially for international education.

The Government’s cynical dumping of material relating to billionaire Peter Thiel will not ease disquiet over why he was granted citizenship, says Labour Immigration Spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“The Government chose the day it announced the General Election date to finally release detail on the Thiel decision, but it simply raises even more serious questions as to why a New Zealand passport needed to be granted to a wealthy foreign businessman who does not live here.

The New Zealand Initiative’s immigration report The New New Zealanders glosses over some of the key immigration challenges that our nation is facing says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway

New Zealanders now know which Minister approved tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s citizenship, and when this happened, but the Government’s response is throwing up more questions than they appear willing to answer, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Ian Lees-Galloway.

The Government must urgently respond to questions about how American billionaire Peter Thiel acquired New Zealand citizenship says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“Questions have rightly been asked about how Mr Thiel has acquired New Zealand citizenship given that he does not appear to meet the criteria usually expected of applicants.

The minimum wage increase announced today will be cold comfort to thousands of New Zealanders struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, says Labour’s Workplace Relations spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“Fifty cents an hour simply is not enough to keep up with the enormous increases in housing costs that many New Zealanders currently face. A 3.3 per cent increase in wages is nothing when rents went up by 5.8 per cent last year and house prices rose by 12.5 per cent.