At last, one political party is willing to say out loud what many New Zealanders have been thinking for years, that our immigration system is broken, and the numbers pouring in are unsustainable.
On X yesterday, New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones delivered a blunt message that cut through the usual political spin. While the left celebrate a steady stream of migrants coming into the country, Jones made it clear that his party will not accept an endless flow of people arriving simply because they want to live here.
“Others may very well be happy that we have a flood of migrants coming to New Zealand, not who we need but who want us and have an expectation of becoming residents and citizens. But New Zealand First does not accept that,” Jones said.
New Zealand’s immigration settings have for years been tilted toward demand rather than need. Too many people are arriving not because they fill critical shortages, but because our system makes it relatively easy for them to settle here. The result is mounting pressure on housing, infrastructure and public services already stretched to their limits.
For ordinary New Zealanders trying to buy a first home, secure a rental or get timely medical care, the effects are obvious. For too long, successive governments have chosen to look the other way, preferring the short-term economic sugar hit that comes with rising population numbers.
Jones and New Zealand First are tapping into a frustration that is only growing louder. Voters see their communities changing rapidly, with little say over who comes here or why. They see promises about “skilled migrants” too often translating into underpaid workers who do little to boost productivity or contribute meaningfully to the economy.
What Jones is demanding is not isolationism or xenophobia, but balance. New Zealand needs migrants, yes, but it needs the right ones. People who genuinely contribute, fill gaps we cannot, and enhance rather than overwhelm our way of life. That means far tougher rules, tighter caps and an immigration policy set by what New Zealand needs, not what migrants want.
Finally, a political party is brave enough to state the obvious. The question now is whether the rest of the political class will continue to hide from the debate, or whether Jones’ straight talk will force them to confront a reality that can no longer be ignored.
Looking ahead to the next election, I honestly only see two parties that are worth casting a vote for, and that is New Zealand First or the ACT Party. Both are at least prepared to confront the issues the major parties refuse to touch. We desperately need more nurses, doctors and genuine skilled professionals who can strengthen our health system and keep the country running.
What we do not need is an endless stream of people driving Ubers or curry chefs filling low-wage jobs that add little to the economy while putting even more strain on housing, schools and hospitals. Immigration should be about quality, not quantity, and only a handful of parties seem to understand that.
You don’t have to look far to see the world falling apart due to mass migration. But you do have to look. The MSM aren’t reporting it and a lot of people I know aren’t looking!
Did many of the front line staff during the jab get their jobs back?