NZ needs to maintain a close relationship with it's Pacific Island neighbours?

On average, everyone agrees with nonconsensus between 348 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

Apart from Australia, we should view the Pacific Islands as holiday resorts only rather than get involved in their social and economic problems

The people of NZ "needs" to make a "close relationship" with anybody they feel comfortable with.

WHY?

I will disagree with the statement because NZ has helped enough... There are more pacific Is'ers here than there are in the pacific islands. Im not too sure why help NZ could offer other than peacekeeping and humanitarian

it's enough. NZ need some skilled workers or investors who can live here and help with development, we don't need any more criminals........ NZ is too small to be the GOD

Send them back! They are rude and illiterate, if they really dont appreciate our country then they can go back to theirs.

History is showing the Pacific island culture is a burden on our economy and way of life.

Not to the point of allowing them to emigrate here at will - their culture is theirs, not NZ's.

Reasons To Agree

Very much agree on this - better than kow-towing to Asia

Theres a good quote I read last night, it says "We are all guilty of the good that we did not do". So as much as we would like to keeps our noses out of the pacific, we are the largest and most politically influential island nation in the pacific. We have the power to take care of our pacific brothers and sisters, therefore we have a resposibility to look out for them.

I agree. But I'm ambivalent about aid to the islands. The Polynesian nations are not viable. Most of their ethnic brothers live in New Zealand. So if we're to support them they should become part of this country. The United States of Pacifica - yeah!

The Ploynesian roots are strong, and valuable.

I think people need to view this a bit differently. They don't mean what you are trying to say, but in a political view of helping those in need/aid on the poor islands and distributing money and letting people come and work/live here to actually do something for a decent living. There is nothing wrong with Pacific Islanders, that's racists.

pacific islanders also need to grow and NZ can make a win-win situation (unlike asia)