I'm in New Zealand for 2 weeks speaking about the economic benefits of diversity at a series of events in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch.
NZ is small country that will always be geographically remote, but it is intimately connected to the rest of the world through its wonderfully diverse people.
Their diversity is an often undervalued asset, especially in these difficult times.
Yet just as ethnic Chinese networks have long been at the centre of trade in Asia, Chinese New Zealanders can help New Zealand connect with China and the rest of Asia's dynamic markets.
What's more, New Zealand's diverse workforce can boost creativity, innovation and enterprise, and thus boost productivity growth. That makes everyone richer and helps pay for the schools, hospitals and other things we cherish.
To any NZ-based readers on this blog, I look forward to meeting some of you over the next weeks.
I’ve enjoyed your interview in Radio NZ National very much since your topic touches me very closely. I am an Argentinean who decided to make NZ his home. You are right. This beautiful country has links with the five continents since migrants from all over the world have made NZ their adopted home. However, this country has still some way to go to take advantage of the wonderful diversity that inhabits it. Look forward to reading more about your ideas.
I haven’t been to NZ for twenty years, but was luckily enough to spend several months there. Outside of Auckland it struck me as one of the least diverse places I’d ever been. Hopefully that has changed for the better.
New Zealand is one of the few places that actually does need more immigration – Auckland is less cosmpolitan than Australian cities. It is a dour, prim, xenophobic place, with hardly any attractive women. I think it needs you more than the UK does, Monsieur.
I would have thought New Zealand was the ultimate repudiation of theories of uncontrollable mass immigration as intrinsically good. (cf. the Maori experience of it.) Evidently not for ideologues such as yourselves.