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Cunliffe today refused to put a number on what he would consider a sustainable flow, but he has previously pointed to net flows of 5000 to 15,000 in the past
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Cunliffe is a former Minister of Immigration so let's assume he's not just making shit up. OK, for the years when Cunliffe was a Cabinet Minister in the last Labour Government, what were the annual immigration totals?
2008 – 64,320
2007 – 59,670
2006 – 58,640
2005 – 54,710
2004 – 54,670
2003 – 64,310
2002 – 71,040
"5000 to 15,000" my arse.
See here's what's happening. Auckland is critical for Labour, and polling has revealed that housing prices specifically in Auckland is an issue that poll respondents have strong feelings about.
How do you slow down the growth in Auckland property prices? Three options.
1. Expand the city area outwards. More outer suburbs. NO NO, WE'RE AGAINST URBAN SPRAWL cry the middle-class nimbies.
2. Expand the city area upwards. More urban apartments. NO NO, WE'RE AGAINST PROPERTY DEVELOPERS DESTROYING OUR BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE cry the middle-class nimbies.
3. Decrease the number of people moving to Auckland.
So to campaign on an issue that Labour has identified as being a key issue in a key area, Labour has only one option - the only policy it can launch on that area is the "slow the increase in people" option.
Now a lot of the incoming migration is Kiwis returning home and Aussies moving trans-tasman, which is protected under CER. So that limits Labour's policy options even further. On this key issue in a key area Labour's only option is to cry "too many foreigners" and claim that National is going to let the yellow hordes swamp our beautiful racially-pure paradise.
So that's what they're doing. Collins Oravida China YELLOW PERIL YELLOW PERIL. Williamson Liu YELLOW PERIL YELLOW PERIL. Auckland properties YELLOW PERIL YELLOW PERIL.