Media Release
17 July 2003
Immigration Policy Blamed For Rates Hike
New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters has pointed out the recent rates hike by the Auckland Regional Council
means that ratepayers are now paying for the Government’s stupid immigration policy.
“The ARC has been flooded by calls after increasing rates by 200 percent or more to help meet extra transport and
infrastructure costs, but it is the Government which should be doing the explaining,” said Mr Peters.
“The Government has been colonising Auckland with hundreds of thousands of immigrants over the past four years and is
leaving local people to pay the bills for this madness.
“As well as the transport system being in disarray, house prices are being pushed up, health services strained to the
limit, education suffering, and a wave of imported crime is stretching police resources.
“Auckland is under siege and it is only a matter of time before this Government’s immigration policy will start
seriously damaging other regions as well,” said Mr Peters.
ENDS