National MPs on labour shortages

According to pro-National blogger David Farrar, today's National Party bases its policies on a combination of liberalism and conservatism, however after reading political commentaries by National MPs over the last few years, I'd say liberalism usually trumps conservatism.

For example in a North Canterbury community newspaper last week, Kaikoura representative Colin King criticises the government for not providing enough overseas workers for the viticulture industry. The opinion piece, from the Hurunui News (not online) is entitled "focus on employing people based on ability, not nationality."

Mr King argues that local vineyards are having problems finding enough suitable workers under the goverment's Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme for Pacific Island guest workers, and that visas should be extended for experienced seasonal workers form other countries.

However, as an elected MP, Mr King, and his fellow National MPs, don't just have to take into account the interests of local employers, but also local citizens, who are likely to hold more conservative views on immigration.

The question, I would ask, as no doubt would many other people of a conservative disposition, is where do these experienced workers from other countries come from, ie, which countries. Do they come from relatively developed, pro-western countries, and are they likely to be a future burden to New Zealand taxpayers if they overstay? Since work on grape-vines is unskilled work, Mr King has things exactly backed to front. It's nationality, rather than ability, that is of most concern to local citizens.

If the National Party really is based on a combination of liberalism and conservatism, then I would expect more debate about such matters, rather than blind allegiance to an ethnically neutral, politically naive, pro-business stance on immigration and labour matters.

In a previous comments thread I argued that a reasonable compromise might be to extend visas for workers from developed western countries, as well as those from pro-western middle income countries, such as Argentina, Poland, Uruguay and the Baltic States, while excluding workers from poor non-western countries such as Indonesia and China.

Such a policy would go a reasonable way to help satisfy the current labour need, while reducing the risk of inviting in a potentially hostile underclass, or driving down wages for those local workers and backpackers who are willing to take up seasonal labour jobs.