For the first time – I feel like an “Immigrant”

October 7, 2009 by
Filed under: Immigration Advisers 

Lincoln Tan at the Herald has run a follow up story on the Immigration Advisors Licensing Act, having got a response from the Immigration Minister. It’s not good news I’m afraid.

But Dr Coleman said the act had been passed with the support of all political parties in Parliament, and the question of whether it breached the right to freedom of speech was never raised.

“Part of the act’s passage was subject to expert scrutiny in terms of New Zealand’s human rights commitments,” he said.

“No inconsistency with those commitments was raised.”

Dr Coleman said the House received 34 submissions on the Immigration Advisers Licensing Bill, and all supported or conditionally supported it.

OK, which raises more questions:

1/ Who the hell were these so-called experts and did they actually realise that this law criminalizes thousands of people – particularly immigrants? Did they not care?

2/ Who were the submissions from, and how many were from Immigration AGENTS seeking to stop people from advising against using their services?

3/ Why the hell was the question of human rights and free speech not raised by ANYONE who was responsible for this shonky law?

4/ And why is the fact that this is being raised now, by the very people affected by it, being ignored?

Just because “experts” didn’t raise these points doesn’t mean they aren’t valid. We are raising them now because a lot of people are bloody pissed off at being turned overnight into criminals for being helpful to other people.

What message does that send?

“Please come to New Zealand! We need 50,000 immigrants a year to keep our country going, and we need your money, but once you get here – please do us all a favour and keep your bloody mouth shut! – Its your money we want, not your opinion”

For the first time since moving here I feel unwelcome. I feel like an “Immigrant” rather than someone who was blessed and lucky to be allowed to be here. Even now with a Kiwi passport, I feel like a second class citizen because I don’t have the right to speak to other migrants and tell them how to get through the harrowing process of immigration.

And you know the really interesting thing about all this?

When there are immigration stories in the paper, there is often an anti-immigrant backlash from Kiwis. Along the lines of “we don’t want bludgers here”; “taking over our healthcare system”;” bugger off back home”. That sort of thing.

But this issue: no backlash!

These stories are being picked up by blogs and forums run by Kiwis, not just immigrants (though some Migrant forums are staying remarkable silent on the whole issue). And they are as outraged as I am. They can see the thin end of the wedge approaching, and realise that this could be a first step. If they can so easily shut Migrants up – they can shut Kiwis up as well.

I am particularly grateful to David Farrar @ KiwiBlog for picking up the cause and understanding what is at stake here.

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Related posts:

  1. Immigrant carers are being kicked out of NZ after the Christchurch Earthquake.
  2. Reply from the Minister.
  3. Working with the IAA to get to the bottom of things.
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Comments

3 Comments on For the first time – I feel like an “Immigrant”

  1. Hubby on Sat, 10th Oct 2009 12:11 pm

    2. Two interesting thoughts, Kiwiblog makes a valid point about Winston Peters’ ‘tidal wave’ of immigrants who are about to deprive retired Kiwi’s of their pensions. Yeah right. Read Kiwiblog for the background. More on that later..

    Only, this tidal wave of emigrants are the one’s who will be working jobs to pay for the pensions of the retired. So, IMHO, if anything Grey Power should be supporting further immigration.

    Which appears to be what NZIS are thinking – the Skilled Migrant pass mark has now dropped to 110. So no job, no job offer, but NZIS will give out a Residency Visa anyhow. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for migrants for that result. And this may have changed months ago since I don’t keep an eye on the pass mark anymore.

    So – NZ still needs migrants, and their contribution to the economy, just ignore the bombast, angry mob speechs, political vitriol & rhetoric.. Most Kiwi’s are still happy that people who will make a contribution want to come here.

  2. bettyl on Sun, 11th Oct 2009 11:36 am

    3. Politics never really interested me until I came to NZ and tried to read the newspaper. Since Kiwis don’t know how to write an article to get the facts out, it makes one wonder what really goes on anywhere in this place.
    Personally, I just came for the scenery!

  3. Avalon on Sun, 11th Oct 2009 11:57 am

    4. I really get what you mean! One of my vices is that get a real guilty pleasure from reading the Letters in the Dom Post – so full of outraged ranting.

    BTW – adding your blog to the blog roll – hadnt seen it before, so thanks for popping in :)

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