It is obvious that immigration is a political hot potato.
It is also clear that it is going to continue to be blatantly used as an
election tool for the forthcoming general election. Regrettably that means that
sound immigration policy is likely to be compromised by short term political agendas
and self-interest.
Because of our extraordinary circumstances in
Christchurch over the past 6 years, we have relied very heavily on short term
and permanent immigration, domestically and internationally. It has bolstered
our workforce and materially assisted us to recreate our city. In just the last
three years, we have had record migration which has significantly changed the
cultural mix of Christchurch. It is important to note that at present, 70% of all
inbound immigration in our region is not rebuild related. Most migrants are being
utilized in the underlying fast-growing and diverse economies of Christchurch
and Canterbury.
The just released Canterbury Development Corporation Economic
Update demonstrates that our region needs five times the long-run average of
historic inbound migration to meet employment and economic growth projections.
Given that, putting a brake on international migration would seriously
compromise our economies in the future. Our dependency on continuing strong levels of
immigration across all sectors of our economy should not be underestimated.
Export education brings welcome overseas students into
Christchurch and is an important part of our diverse economy. Not only do these
students provide a significant economic contribution, but they also pave the
way for high skilled permanent migrants to either stay in New Zealand, or come
back after their education has concluded. The Colombo Plan of the 70’s, which
attracted high caliber students from Malaysia, particularly to Lincoln
University, is a very good example of that. That legacy lives on.
The unemployment rate in the City of Christchurch at
present is 4.9%. Excluding Christchurch, the unemployment rate in wider
Canterbury is 2.7%. An unemployment rate of 2.7% is too low to be sustainable in
a growing economy. The key solution to this problem is robust domestic and
international migration.
Migrants do not come to New Zealand, and to our
region, at the expense of local employment opportunities. They come to New
Zealand to earn, to spend, to contribute and to create opportunities, not
stifle them. It is hard to believe that locals looking for jobs in our region
cannot find them with an unemployment rate of 2.7%. It is also hard to accept
that we can continue to grow our regional economy without the ongoing support
of new migrants.
It is exciting to see Christchurch becoming an
increasingly diverse, multi-cultural city with people of different
nationalities coming to Christchurch, many because of the rebuild, and wanting
to stay here to enjoy some of the finest lifestyle offerings available anywhere
in the world.
A major driver of the political posturing around
immigration, is driven by the obvious capacity constraints in Auckland.
Christchurch and Canterbury should not get caught up in that problem. As a city,
and as a region, we welcome international migrants and domestic migrants,
including our friends from Auckland who are living in a stretched community
with stretched resources. Here, we have all the fundamentals for good living,
and plenty of capacity for others to join us. We have realistic house prices,
an abundance new office accommodation, hospitality offerings second to none, and
good infrastructure. We enjoy a city that is future focused and positioned in
one of the most beautiful parts of the world.
Let’s take the politics out of the migration debate.
We need stable, positive migration policies and strategies that will stimulate
our economy, enrich our communities and satisfy our employment requirements. It
will be a travesty if immigration as a political football, ends up resulting in
an own goal.