Asian immigration and the Maori in New Zealand

Ruth Berry:

Winston Peters has been criticised for "scaremongering" over Asian immigration again, with National also casting doubt on Statistics New Zealand's population projections.

The New Zealand First leader claimed this week that Maori would be outnumbered by Asians by 2021.

He cited Statistics NZ projections that Asian numbers would grow to 670,000 by then. But he omitted to mention that the projections said the Maori population would swell to 760,000.

Mr Peters stuck by his claim, however, arguing that Statistics NZ's definition of Maori ethnicity was "questionable" and its Asian population projections were frequently too low.

Both National and United Future attacked Mr Peters for scaremongering. National MP Pansy Wong said the Asian community remained unworried by Mr Peters' "latest bluster", as they were "getting used to his anti-Asian crusades, always timed to coincide with elections".

News and Blogosphere:

Turner: Here We Go Again

New Zealand – The Last Asian Colony

Peter’s Asian warning

Catching the Asian flu