I agree with #19

@Max

Tell me, out of the 82000 you say settled in NZ how many didn't have a means to support themselves? (And please don't include children into this figure) I can (almost) guarantee you that none of them were given residency / citizenship without first of all being able to prove that they could pay their own way. There is a pretty big difference between them and boat people. You should be running for government with the way that you are trying to twist and mutate the statistics to get your message across.

No one wants to see these 'boat' people harmed. But NZ just doesn't have the resources (human or otherwise) or infrastructure to take these guys in, especially the numbers being touted around.

So please don't call me bigoted. I'm not. I'm just trying to be realistic about what this would actually entail, and how it would personally impact on me as a taxpayer. I'm not trying to convince people to my side of the argument through throwing out statistics that actually have little relevance to the debate.

Passionate about what you believe = good. Calling people names, and then using irrelevant evidence as the basis of your justification of said name calling, = bad.

@Max # 54, FYI The entire EU (thats 27 countries by the way) took in approx 6,700 refugees out of a total of 3.5 MILLION immigrants in 2009. Thats 0.19% compared to NZ's .91% http://www.unhcr.org/4bf1619c6.html

Though we are probably behind the USA in refugee admissions (and possibly Aust. as well) we are certainly well above most other nations. Having limits ensures that the country is able to keep the economy going as until they learn English these 750 people and their families are not exactly going to be paying taxes now are they?

Honestly the risk reward for 'boat' people to sail here is far too much, even for them. They may as well sail to America. Bhodi was right in the film Point Break (even though those coppers had lame australian accents)

We have enough problems of our own in new zealand without borrowing some of australias problems.How generous of john keys to spend more of our tax dollars to suck up to australia. I am not against helping legitimate refugees, but these people are breaking the laws and protocals of the countries they land in,or hoping to sneak in illegaly,or hoping to play on the sympathy of the legal residents,none of which make them suitable emigrants. hard line is the only option send them all back without exception then they will stop coming.

Who is Phil Goff?

I'm all for giving someone a second chance. but they really need to toughen deportation laws and require immigrants to have a job. When you give someone a second chance and they spit in your face by way of crime and welfare you have to send them packing.

Furthermore to all the biggots here. Last year we had 82,000 people settle in New Zealand permanently from overseas. Compare that with the 750, yes 750 refugees we let in under our quota. Thats 0.91% of the migrants coming to NZ.

To paraphrase Point Break "They're not going to paddle all the way to New Zealand"

Julia Gillard wants to turn NZ into Australias Alcatraz ... they have lots of experience as a penal colony?