NZ needs targeted immigration as we will soon have many retirees and not enough workers.?

On average, everyone agrees with nonconsensus between 342 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

No - not "targeted" - human's aren't a commodity - they're individuals - some with merit - some without.

We should focus on how to retain native Kiwis who can contribute to our nation most as it is their home and they know it well enough. Currently we're suffering from very high attrition rate for native new zealanders. The immigration policy currently in place has been abused, misused and overused by Labour under which governance many indigenous elites have drained away.

Let's get our backsides into gear, increase our productivity and our GDP so that we can stop our own buggering off to Australia and attract those who've left back again.

To many outsiders will ruin New Zealand

Reasons To Agree

Fair enough - why not milk the immigrants for the ones we need - that will be of most benefit to NZ. Immigration to NZ is a priveledge, not a right to all.

We should target immigrants with skills we need

There is a lot of demand from potential migrants, and a lot of issues arising from admitting them: many positive and some negative. Countries should be smart about who they let in - a government's first priority is to existing citizens, so they need to be looking at minimizing problems (unemployed migrants etc) and benefiting the existing populace (filling skills shortages etc) On the other hand, why not introduce family friendly policies that encourage NZ to be self-sufficient in providing enough skilled workers for the country. Is it really fair to be picking off the cream of the educated talent from a developing country?

I cannot agree with this statement anymore! Listen to Government officials like the Treasury, and ageing population is a irreverable process that WILL (not might) WiLL criple the economy come 30 or 40 years away! Depenency ratio will increase and over 25% of the population will be over 65 versus 12% in 2006. Migration must target all under 45s and especially couples with kids or wanting to have kids here. If NZ is serious about this issue immigration is the ONLY way to reverse the ageing process with enough quality immigrants.

This dpends on the targets