New Zealand needs migrants as some Kiwis are lazy and on drugs, says PM
The comments came on the back of record high immigration figures, showing in the year to July 69,000 people moved to New Zealand.
In his weekly appearance on Radio New Zealand, Key was asked to explain high immigration figures, with 200,000 Kiwis currently unemployed.
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Key responded that schemes to get Kiwi beneficiaries into jobs had routinely failed because many lacked basic work skills.
“Go and ask the employers, and they will say some of these people won’t pass a drug test, some of these people won’t turn up for work, some of these people will claim they have health issues later on,” Key told Radio New Zealand.
“So it’s not to say there aren’t great people who transition from Work and Income to work, they do, but it’s equally true that they’re also living in the wrong place, or they just can’t muster what is required to actually work.”
Every year New Zealand brings in more than 9,000 seasonal workers from the Pacific islands to work on short-term contracts in the horticulture and wine industry. Both industries also say they are heavily reliant on overseas visitors with work permits – particularly backpackers…