October 19, 2005

Anti-immigration Maori new Foreign Secretary of New Zealand

As an indigenous New Zealander, Winston Peters can point out facts about the lack of reciprocity in Asian countries' immigration policies that white politicians aren't allowed to mention. The Australian snarkily opines:

WINSTON Peters thinks he will get on fabulously with Asian leaders because, like him, they think it is an outrageous mistake to let too many immigrants alter a country's ethnic make-up.

Mr Peters caused ripples around the world when news broke on Monday that he would be New Zealand's new Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Helen Clark's third Labour-led government.

He negotiated the plum job as part of a complex deal in which his nationalist New Zealand First party would support Labour on confidence and supply, although not within a formal coalition. Mr Peters is an unashamed anti-immigrationist who has said Muslims should be ethnically profiled and, as a default position, kept out as a terror threat.

Yesterday he did not resile from his comments, including those he made four years ago: that the country was becoming an Asian colony.

In an interview with The Australian last night, he said he was no newcomer to world affairs, having travelled and met Asian leaders when he was a senior minister in previous National-led governments. "When I was a treasurer, a deputy prime minister, I got on with them superbly," he said.

Japan, Malaysia, China and other countries of the region had a policy of little or no immigration, he said. "It is absurd to suggest that somebody talking in New Zealand about excessive immigration would not be acceptable to Asia," he said.

Mr Peters, a former teacher and barrister, is one of the country's most experienced politicians. A Maori and former Maori affairs minister, he worked with Ms Clark in her last government to draw up legislation securing beaches from land rights claims...

Mr Peters said he would move to restore New Zealand's two critical alliances: with Australia and the US.

Pro-American and anti-immigration, a win-win.


My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer

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