NZ should preference immigrants from countries with similar cultural backgrounds?

On average, everyone is neutral with significant nonconsensus between 377 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

No. We should avoid being xenophobic, and open minded to all races and cultures - provided they are peace-loving. Continued residency should be an acknowledgment of alleigance to NZ. Violation of our laws should result in deportation of the offender, or of the entire family.

It dosen't take a genius to work this out, as long as your English you're in. Where's the preference in that?

1. Racism. 2. Segrigation. 3. WTF is wrong with you all agreeing?

The question needs to be more specific. I'm bigoted enough to be concerned about letting Muslim immigrants in. Too many of them wish the rest of us harm. Then again I know many who are great people. What to do? Then there are racial groups, many of whom have no interest in integrating with the rest of the community, but I know some great Kiwis in those groups too. Who decides? It isn't possible. We really need to forget race and creed and consider qualifications and potential. If they play up, boot them out. :)

It is a global era. Stop being racist.

No way, why??? we should have diversity! it makes the world bigger with different views! unless we are all 'drones' to do as we belive should be the correct way.

Racist

Stupid, racist idea.

The culture does not have to be the same as diversity is enriching BUT where that persons culture and / or beliefs have a strong association with social practices that deny others the human rights guaranteed in the UN convention then a more rigourous assessment of leave for that person to immigrate to NZ should be applied.

Reasons To Agree

Immigrants with similar cultural backgrounds to the majority Kiwi culture intigrate far easier within New Zealand society. Before the multiculturism, when NZ was a bi-cultural society, we were acclaimed as the most culturally harmonious country on earth. The chaotic mixture of differing cultures - some of them well proven incompatable with each other, is not a recipe for happiness and harmony in this country's future. As is now being shown all over the Western world, the opposite to happiness and harmony is the more likely result.

We are a Christian country with a British law system. We should accept immigrants from similar countries only

The answer is clearly "yes" because to admit people who have totally different values, morals, and ethics and/or are unlikely to be comfortable with "ours", is simply asking for trouble. This is not being racist - it is accepting the reality that the Fabian dream of the "Grande Internationale" is way out of reach in today's world. Until either all religions are prepared to accept that other opinions must be tolerated or religions are seen for what they really are - mere superstition - they are better isolated in their own majorities. Enoch Powell , wrongly damned in his time as a bigot, was totally correct in his vision of the damage uncontrolled immigration would bring to the United Kingdom. Once the most tolerant of all societies, the U.K. has now become a nation divided into ghettoes with the "native" population wondering to where they can escape.

This is a very interesting question indeed. I would like to start from some comparisons, e.g. the size of our country vs. how many hundreds of millions people from disparate cultural backgrounds wishing to come here. Can we really cater for all their requests. Secondly, native new zealanders would become minority and alien cultures, e.g. Chinese, Indian, would dominate. When you wonder on the street, you cannot understand half of the conversations going on simply they're all in alien languages. Chinese would become the most commonly used language and compulsory at schools. More than half of our MPs are from South East Asia and our country would have built a solid relationship with China let's say, even Chinese government is just treating their people like pigs with no human rights..Com'on you know how Chinese society runs...The result is our country is gradually taken over (by Chinese government)..Such a list can go on forever....Please ask yourself 'are you ready for those to happen'? A living example is UK now suffers from such social and cultural conflicts at somewhat level, which is out of their control at times. Oh I need to clarify that I am NOT against migrants at all as I am an immigrant from China. I am just being objective and unbiased on this issue. You like Chocolate Mud cake? I think you do . So did I. However I had too much for quite a few months and now I cannot even stand thinking of it. What I wanna say is that 'NOTHING IS ABSOLUTE. MODERATION AND PHASED-IN IS THE KEY'. I would have stayed in China if I really liked sophisticated dark Asian society... I am not saying all native English speakers should be allowed in as quality control is essential at all times. I just wonder whether NZ and you are already ready to embrace a totally different society dominated by an alien culture yet.

People from islamic countries should definately be reassessed. Islam is incompatible with democracy. Fullstop.

No, not at all. New Zealand should be open to all future and possible legal immigrants wishing to seek New Zealand residency. Disregarding other cultures or having preference over one or the other would be seen as complete xenophobia. While some immigrants may find it a harder time to adapt to life in New Zealand than others, support should be made available to these people in order to recognize those from various different cultures and backgrounds within our society to help and understand the needs of potential immigrants. If New Zealand is to allow all immigrants the opportunity to live and work here then it needs sufficient help & support services so these people are confident and ready to begin their new lives in New Zealand whether that includes employment or not. The trouble with New Zealand's cultural background is that it is made up of a large amount of different cultures and beliefs - This should be seen as a positive thing as there are few countries in the world that have such a large multicultural background and more and more countries and cities will have to deal with a "melting pot" of cultures as immigrants look to live in different places. Allowing preference over one culture will only segregate other cultures.

I lived in Asia. A Korean guy stole 2 ipads and macbook from a sweedish guy in Singapore. I was talking to my Chinese friends about it. They said, "why are you so angry? its not like he stole from you..." I was not racist until I lived there. But they are truely not like us. Lets keep ourselves together. We are stronger as one. We Westerners have to be proud of our compassion and values which have kept us on top. We care for strangers. Asians have put themselves in a competitive rat-race where caring for someone that is not family or VERY close friend is INEFFICIENT. Even the 'nice' ones share this mentality. It is not human. We cannot let these people into nz so liberally.

The word racism is overated and overused! The observation that cultural values are being lost in NZ especially central Auckland due to lack of assimilation or attempts to integrate is the fact! Different cultures are great but if moving to NZ they should at least try make an effort If we were in their country I am sure one would do the same. Experiment: try getting a student job as a NZ citizen in Auckland city, with experience in hospitality and retail, but without having contacts. Result: 4 jobs were offered but then declined as soon as the employer was aware that there was no expiry date to the employers "visa". This is horrible, foreigners won't hire kiwis but will hire foreigners, in NZ. I think something dodgy is going on there and it is not an honest NZ that we are all wanting to be a part of.