New Zealand's population growth from migration appears to have about doubled from pre-Covid levels

I think it is already happening, but it will take another 2 months to show in Stats migration data.

I can recall at the time - NZ business (especially orchards) screaming to Labour to open the gates - ‘we need workers, can’t find anyone in NZ that wants to work for $5/hr’

NZ - to achieve third world status in 3 years.

You would think that having pre-arranged accommodation would also be a requirement, or do immigrants just hop off the plane and get an Uber to the nearest motel? It's actually harder to import a car or a cat into NZ, than migrate here. 

Not quite as diverse as NY and London when I lived there but NZ's advantage is the breadth of immigration - people from almost everywhere and only a few developing ghettos. At least NZ doesn't have riots between Muslim and Hindu unlike Leicester in 2022.

Auckland had been that way for quote sometime I remember when I was in university in 2006 they were saying 40% of Auckland were born overseas. Staggering really.

Yes, Auckland is well on the way to diversity levels of Toronto or Vancouver. If we manage it well, this could be a source of great strength, vibrancy, innovation and cultural enrichment. If not...

Normally each suburb shopping area has 4-5 different spice stores nearby each from a different culture or part of the world (but often selling the same spice mixes). This is the same for the many different Asian markets. It is actually staggering or shocking to go down South Is and find even the concept of a cheap fruit and vege store outside of a duopoly supermarket hold is a rare thing. Hence suitcases during travel between North and South Is for business and family travel are often filled with spices, herbs and even vegetables. The North Is often sells produce grown/made in the South Is cheaper (often the South supermarkets do not even sell what is produced in the South Is while they are available in the North same chain stores).

It is mind boggling how anyone could stand the lack options and the enforced duopoly pricing, especially with the massive costs for fruit and veges from the duopoly, (half a celery for $8, a fistful of brocolli or lettuce for $5, a handful of parsley for $4 and don't get me started on the potato and carrot price hikes). Down South a bog standard stirfry (with meat and vegetables) would be a luxury meal. In Auckland though I could take a whole banana box of expensive heirloom vegetables away for less then $20, only resorting to the cheaper vegetables if we needed to make stock or put on a large multi-family meal.

I really feel more sympathy for the families down South doing it tough with food insecurity because they often have fewer options and the pricing is ludicrous compared to Auckland. They don't even have decent affordable food markets with the same accessibility. Avondale is a great market to fill up a car of food for a couple of bills. How families in Auckland face wider insecurity is really because the housing costs & transport cf issues also come into play.

If you are not driving going to the fruit and vege market for a weekly shop can be a mission many cannot access unless really able bodied; because carrying (or even dragging) more than 10kg of produce 2km+ without good health can be unwise at best. At worst bring a spare ventilator and heart monitor with an alert bracelet. Mind you though most the time you just silently collapse onto the ground, cannot even breathe adequately or with a heart attack and most people just walk around in NI. While the NI is cheaper so is life and people are way less helpful in medical emergencies. Even going so far as to attack or rob you while you are down, (be wary of those in suits, shirts or rugby jerseys). The SI is full of more charm and wealth in humanity & empathy. The quandary then is which is better: the people in a relaxed housing market city down South or the food up North. It is a real question of whether supportive community or food security is more important when chips are down and you are able to work remotely.

Better that we set an upper limit on New Zealand population.  Even better if we reduce our total population.

Was once a magic place to live.  We are seriously messing it up.

we don't really understand why countries are failing to develop economically.

Urrr, yes we do. Suggest you do some research. Start with the World Bank and OECD.

I think you're spot on Jfoe. As usual - excellent insight. 

Not quite the same.  Jacinda Ardern gave all of the 210,000 people on work visas permanent residency in 2021.  Those people are still in the country and still working.  The current 200,000 on work visas are additional to the previous 210,000.  All that has happened is that the workers who now have PR are freed from their visa restrictions so have been able to change jobs and location (so are now competing with NZers for normal jobs, and able to move out of regional areas to Auckland) and another 200,000 new immigrants have been imported to do the same jobs as the 210,000 previous immigrants did.  The so called "skilled shortage" was simply immigrant workers leaving their visa sponsored employers and going elsewhere.

Whats the kiwi way of life for you. Its got way more vibrant since the 90s IMO

We already have a moat.  But its useless if the castle holder simply decides to lower the drawbridge and invite the enemy inside.

Only go to the Herald for political analysis. Business - NBR, Business Desk or Interest for the rest :)

It’s pretty obvious that Liam is a lightweight who writes populist drivel. I guess that’s the way of the world? The Herald once had some excellent economics journos, such as Brian Fallow.

It all started with alternate sprinkler days.  Pretty soon we'll have alternate toilet flushing days.  If only we could limit rainfall days to alternating odd and even numbered houses.