新西兰号召团结少数民族反对工党的Chinese Kiwi博士, 其文

Aaron Lim, do you think non-resident foreigners should be afforded the same rights to buy residential property as resident New Zealanders? I read your article but amongst all the victim mentality diatribes I couldn't' find the answer to this most basic of questions.

• 101[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

What a load of rubbish. Labours message is that we need to clamp down on foreign buyers. Anyone crying racism or xenophobia like this Aaron Lim clown are either need reading lessons or are part of the problem.

• 76[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I have personally been to great number of auctions in the past 4-5 months while trying to buy a property for our family. There are stunning number of Asians (Chinese looking people) at the auction that not only do not speak English and require an interpreter, but those interpreters have to constantly convert numbers that are printed at the auction to 'some other numbers' on the sheet of paper. Now, tell me they are NZ residents?

• 51[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Brilliant piece, bravo.

• 31[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Trouble is Aaron, it's not people with Korean, Indian, Muslim, Pacific Islander or Maori names buying 40% of the houses.

• 27[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron, we have never met but please rest assured that not everyone here is anti-Chinese.

Would it not be hilarious if all the Chinese buyers (regardless of their residency) changed their names to Smith or Brown?

• 13[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

How do you interperate the FACTS from the Real estate data?

• 11[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Very nice article and well-observed. Everything that could have been said about how idiotic the Labour have handled this has already been said. vIf the Labour party is the Muppet Show then Twyford is Gonzo to Little's Kermit. The utter absurdity of their singling out of the Chinese would be funny if it wasn't so flawed. Let's hope that their solution is the final one!

• 11[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Oh please. This is nothing to do with immigration, this is overseas speculators cashing in on our housing. There would be just as much backlash were it Americans, Britons etc snapping up houses and driving the prices up. Auckland property is being actively marketed as a prime investment opportunity in China, highlighting our lack of capital gains tax, stamp duties etc.

What hope is there for New Zealand residents and citizens trying to get into their first home? And by residents and citizens, I mean people of ALL heritage, born here or otherwise.

• 30[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It is still overseas investors causing problems with the Auckland house prices whoever they are. This is causing first home buyers some grief.

• 14[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

This is a moronic rant. Total and utter childish nonsense.

Opening a much needed dialogue about foreign ownership of domestic property in the face of a government refusing to even collect data on the problem is not racist regardless of whether you agree with Labour. People from all corners of the political spectrum have expressed concern and therefore it's something that needs to happen, both for social and economic reasons

And there there is this article. Honestly. It's as though it was written by a 13 year old high school student. No facts. No arguments. Just good old fashioned ranting.

Come on NZ Herald, I am embarrassed for you.

• 22[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Taking this on the nose arent we. Nobody is against the chinese people here nor there. If you want to not be blamed for a serious economic problem then ask the government who you obviously are lobbying for to capture real data.

• 7[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Even the Chinese government themselves cite the siphoning of corrupt funds from Chinese bureaucrats through their children into markets such as Canada, Australia and NZ, as one of their major economic problems. Yet apparently if I mention the issue I am a racist?

This is absurd.

What is even more absurd is the fact that we let non-citizens vote in this country.

Google the naked officials story on the BBC (including Bo Xilai) and you see how this all works. How can a mid level council manager in China be worth billions of dollars? How many of the young immigrants into this country are actually sons and daughters of Communist Party members?

We are right to be concerned with rampant corruption and its effect on our society.

Wake up dozy Kiwis.

• 13[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Sorry Aaron, for all your education, I can still not quite see the wheat from the straw.

True Xenophobes have most certainly grabbed hold of a piece of straw called Racism, let them run !

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Very good accurate assessment of the "Little" grave that the Labour party have dug themselves - I am wondering what crime the Labour party will pin to my Croatian Surname

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron, its best to calm down before writing angry articles like this, talking war and fighting. Its not helping your cause.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Boy - aren't some people over-sensitive! It would appear that intelligence and a common sense approach to life don't go hand-in-hand in the upper echelons of Otago University. Then again - if common sense was common everyone would have it! At least you get the chance to vote for the Party of your choice in New Zealand. Does that happen in China?

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

They have just added to the many reasons why they are in opposition. And until Labour get a good leader and replace some candidates with ones that have higher IQ's, opposition is where they will stay.

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Dont be ridiculous, you do yourself a disservice by misjudging what they were saying by such an irrational amount

• 4[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

You seem to have confused Labour's clumsy attempt to prove that there is a lot of foreign investment in housing with racism in general. Alarmingly this is exactly the same inept inference that racists make.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Well done Aaron. You could manage to pour oil on the fire. A few more article like this and people may really become racist, thanks to you... LOL
I'm seriously amazed that the Herald publicized an article like this with full of hatred and malevolence without stating any fact...

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Mr Lim, You are not listening and are using National Party diversions. The problem is about piles of money flooding into NZ from China. Get up to speed and stop your racist inspired nonsense.

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Terrible article and analysis.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It's annoying seeing in the media article after article completely missing the point of what Labour did.

They highlighted the complete lack of property market data such as who is buying houses; how long are they waiting before flicking the property off to another speculator; how many houses are currently empty due to such speculation and so on.

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Well if what they are doing is to gain votes then they have mine. Anyone trying to control foreign investment is getting my vote.

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

This is just plain stupid, if you have a Chinese sounding surname you are significantly more likely to be Chinese than someone who doesn't have a Chinese sounding name. Just like if you have a boys name you are more likely to be male than someone with a typically female name.

The next thing to note is that Labour is yet to make or imply in any way that all Chinese are an issue, the only thing that did was present figures that suggested people with Chinese sounding name were buying 4 times more houses than people with non-Chinese sounding names. They made a logical yet unsubstantiated suggestion that this high representation was due to foreign buyers with Chinese sounding names.

People really need to get their hands on a dictionary and read what the turn "racist" actually means.

• 4[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Wow, a candidate for Dr of what? Incitement?.Everyone has the right to express views on this issue but this is very divisive, considering the burden of proof has still to be served.In the spirit of ignorance I could say that Mr Lim has twisted this issue for his own ends.Whatever ,it's now extremely important that the Govt lays the Stats on the table.How hard is this?Barfoot and Thompson, in the interests of your country, please step up.Truthfully.

• 4[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Most convoluted, straw man laden nonsense ever.

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

This petulant piece completely misrepresents Labour's position. If this is typical of resident Chinese attitudes, then NZ has a colossal problem, much bigger than anyone, even Twyford, thought.

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Where's there smoke there's fire .......

• 1[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

The other glaring problem is that all foreigners can qualify for residency under the "investor category" simply by purchasing a dollar value of New Zealand's residential property. Thus enabling them to buy up large as residents.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Hi Helen
I think the salient point is the Labour Party who are of course vying to be the next government framed the most "basic of questions" on non-resident foreigners and home ownership with an embarassing list of ethnic names, instead of addressing the issues.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

[people with Chinese sounding surnames, we are at war with the Labour Party.]

But lim is not a chinese sounding name nor is it a chinese name so who is playing a game here?

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Completely agree with your article Aaron. This is blatant racism. For those self-interested people who claim this is not racism, let me ask you this question: the same data released by Labour shows that the highest percentage of property sales during the same period (40.70%) were made to buyers with European sounding surnames. This could be British investors, Australian investors, American investors. Why is no one pointing the finger at them? Answer: racism.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

No-one wants to stop New Zealand residents from buying property so you are mischief making. Foreigners should not be allowed to own residential places if they do not live here permanently so stop twisting the facts to suit your argument

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Let's stick to the issue here - It is non NZ resident buyers of real estate hiking prices in Auckland up into the stratosphere - making it neigh on impossible for many NZers to get a foothold into this market. Capital flows out of China mean that in the absence of action, the problem of housing affordability will only get worse.

In the absence of government data the surname analysis is pretty much the best indication of Chinese influence (and that is where most of the offshore money seems to be coming from) in the Auckland property market.

No doubt some of the data will be due to cashed up recent migrants who may be hiking up prices also, but this would seem more an indictment on NZ's immigration policy and the consequences for NZ than anything else.

Another consideration should be where all this cash is coming from - I cannot help but wonder whether NZers are being a little naïve in this regard. China is very corrupt and many who have made serious money want to get their money out for good reason.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It is not racist at all. All foreign buyers should be banned it just so happens most of them are Chinese, this is a fact not racism. The NZ govt is so worried about upsetting China andtrade deals that it will leave the gates open to rich Chinese to buy up NZ.

If we cant buy in China (or anywhere) then why can they? To hide behind racism is a cop out and misses the point foreigners are buying NZ. It is bad enough we have to pay global prices for milk etc... now global prices for real estate!! On NZ wages!! Wake up NZ......

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"It is still overseas investors causing problems with the Auckland house prices whoever they are. This is causing first home buyers some grief."

Bang on the money! Property prices didn't accelerate like they have because of market demand. Large investors created it. Where have those investors come from? It doesn't matter.

What matters, is that they have been allowed too under this Government. Maybe Labour created the problem and now realise the adverse affect but it is only National that can create policy to curb it. Nick Smith has offered a limp one.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron you do yourself a disservice by writing such an inflammatory article.

Many New Zealanders will read this vitriol and be quite concerned.
Although I agree that perhaps Labour's execution could be better it is undisputable that offshore non-residents (who just happen to be mainly Chinese) are influencing the Auckland property market. The government is in denial.

We need immigration and we need investment into productive assets - migrants coming to Auckland and investing in property does neither. This is not want New Zealand needs.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"The Labour Party has declared political war on Chinese immigrants in New Zealand. "

With respect thats just utter nonsense. Labour have made it crystal clear their concern is with offshore buyers, not immigrants. Their concern is also regardless of race. Labour cant help it if the evidence points at the Chinese being significant buyers.

Im a swing voter by the way, not a Labour Party member. I can't believe a doctoral candidate would come out with such sophistry.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"The Chinese community should not bother to refute Labour's amateurish attempts at data analysis. Neither should we justify why we have the right to buy houses in a free-market economy. The point is we shouldn't have to."

So why are you justifying yourself? Methinks you doth protest too much.

The point is that countries around the world are reporting an increase in demand and hence market price for residential property because of excess supply of Chinese-sourced investment capital. This irrefutable fact has not raised a single cry of "racism" anywhere except in New Zealand. The housing issue in Auckland is a debate about nationalism not racism.

Incidentally, would the Chinese community welcome me to join the New Zealand Chinese Real Estate Association. Such associations should be an irrelevance in a modern equal society.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Can someone explain to me what is benefit of having NZ permanent residency or citizenship.

We are part of neoliberally experiment of raping democracy, and erasing world borders for rich people....

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"Lists of Maori and Pacific Island names could be used to generate debate on credit risk and propensity to commit crime. By the Labour Party's logic, none of this would be racist. It would merely be a means to the ends of generating a national debate."

These types of statistics are based on empirical evidence such as censuses. There is generally no need to generate a national debate because governments use the census, etc. to formulate policy to address such disparities in our community. But you knew that given your CV. You were just having a weak stab at being facetious.

The point is National have been resolute in avoiding data collection on housing to hide a very obvious market imperfection. Loyal Chinese Kiwis should be joining all other loyal Kiwis to demand this information from their government for the benefit of New Zealand. Or are there vested interests at play?

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron, just out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to have voted National last election? Because your whole article seems like an attempt to distort facts and turn a legitimate non-racist concern into a call to arms against the Labour party. It reads rather like a paid political broadcast from the National Party.

It is worth pointing out that based on the last census Asian citizens in Auckland have on average slightly lower incomes than most. If that is the case then surely they, as much or even more than anyone in Auckland, would benefit enormously if the overseas property speculation was curtailed?

Far from being racist Labour's goal here would arguably benefit racial minorities resident in Auckland more than most. No one cares if that means that property speculators in China, Australia, the USA, or anywhere overseas actually, lose the ability to make windfall profits buying our real estate.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I think you will find that many kiwis do not take issue with Chinese like yourself who have come to NZ to be a part of our country and our culture, but rather those who have come here and not integrated into NZ society, not to mention the foreign investment which is beyond rampant in Auckland.

There is no need to feel victimised, as your situation is entirely different from the one we are talking about! The point is that real kiwis like yourself, are being forced out of the housing market due to ridiculous inflation because of foreign investment and a loose immigration policy.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It is unfortunate that this is the only information available but you can not blame labour for that. The National government has refused to collect any data about foreign home buyers, they are at fault for this mess. Saying we need to be wary of people that do not live here buying to much of our land is not racist in anyway.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I think this is going overboard and over sensitive. The issue is not about racism. its about flaw in the regulations.

Sadly the statistics could have been portrayed better by listing out the percentage of home buyers that are PR/residents or non residents. I'm pretty sure these information needs to be declared during point of sale and compiled by the agency and gov alike.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

What twaddle - You are not part of the problem, any more than any other citizen of this country. Foreigners purchasing homes are.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I know of a case where a house was sold to the family who seemed to need it the most, rather than to one of the higher bidders, all of whom were Chinese/Asians.

The family who seemed to need it the most were white, and all of the other many buyers were Chinese/Asians.

The seller of the house would have liked the house to go to a 1st-home buyer family, but the real estate agents wouldn't give 1st-home buyers a chance to even see the house. The real estate agents insisted that the seller make a decision forthwith based upon the offers that came flooding in as soon as the house was advertised.

The house was highly suitable for a disabled or wheelchair-bound person. One prospective buyer, who had a disabled family member, was particularly interested in the house for that reason. So even though that family did not submit the highest offer, the house was sold to them.

Needless to say, the seller was accused of flagrant racism for not selling it to the highest bidder. It is beyond most people's comprehension that some people make decisions based upon their moral principles, rather than greed.

PS: Your 4th paragraph is plain silly. People are free to sell to highest bidder.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Just about everyone is racist with a few exceptions, that is how a race survives, it pushes out the weaker ones. When a race is faced with being threatened with extinction it will fight back. So what if people like certain races or religions, it's their choice. The Scots had clans, the Maori tribes, they all liked their particular group within their own race.

Human nature has not changed in the 21st century, people have not embraced the concept of the brotherhood of man, the different races in New Zealand will fight to protect their territory.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron Lim, all Labour has said is that buying houses in NZ should be only available to residents or citizens. Can I go and buy a house in China? If not then by your argument the Chinese are racist!!

If anything you sound like a National supporter, due to them wanting to sell everything to China. Your trying to link Labour to Slobadan Milosovic is downright rubbish!! China is the country responsible for numerous human rights violations not Labour!!

Just look at Chinas land grab in the pacific, building islands to try and exert control over the area and you want us to allow unfettered access to NZ houses and land? If the majority of names on the list were Chinese it just shows we need a check of who is buying our houses and land nothing more nothing less!! As for Susan Devoy she is the biggest joke out of the lot of them!!

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

With due respect; I believe you are going out of your way to misinterpret what these two Labor leaders said & twist it to inflame the situation.

They raised the question of non-resident foreign ownership, not ownership by migrants legally living in NZ.

This is a matter NZ needs to address as the level of perceived non-resident foreign ownership is starting to seriously disturb some people in the society. What is being requested is a ~registry~ so we can asses it & endeavor to best-manage it.

Trying to twist this into some sort of racial discrimination against resident Chinese adds nothing helpful to the debate. If you are a patriotic New Zealander as you claim, & it certainly appears you are; then you have as much interest in managing this matter as the rest of us.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

The issue is about Chinese NON RESIDENTS...Chinese Kiwis (NZ residents) are a brilliant/integral part of our multi cultural society. People who cannot differentiate between Chinese residents and Chinese non residents are making this a racial debate. Non residents are buying up land that residents cannot afford. End of story.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Helen, you might not like the situation but the Free Trade Agreement, which the Labour Government signed in 2008 with the Chinese Government allows for that to legally happen. labour are humbugs and charlatans.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Oh please, get over yourself. This isn't about race. This is about foreign nationals, of any race, speculating & driving up the price of housing in NZ. It doesn't matter if you're Asian, African, European or even Martian.

If you're not a legal resident in NZ, you shouldn't have the ability to buy residential property. It just happens to be Chinese foreign nationals in this instance and nothing to do with being Chinese.

We wouldn't want British or American overseas investors driving up housing costs through offshore speculation either.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

...and they do not seem to go hand in hand with the lower echelons either. The problem in Auckland is in supply, something our Glorious Labour Leader has finally admitted by proposing to restrict foreign ownership only during times of housing crisis.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I wish everyone would stop making out this a race issue. It's not. It's a foreign investment issue. If you live in NZ and buy houses, no problem. It's people from overseas buying up our houses, renting them out, and that income going off shore. Especially when that also leads to higher prices for house buyers who live here.

What race the off shore buyers are, or what country they come from doesn't matter. We would feel the same no matter what country they were from, or what race they were. It just so happens that at the moment it's the Chinese that are doing it.

So stop being anti Chinese. Stop making it into a race issue. Because all those things do is deflect attention from the real culprits who make the laws on foreign buyers/investors, and who should be doing something real about the problem. Direct your anger in the right direction or you are letting the ones really at fault off the hook!

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I am Maori and have no problem with Chinese paying top dollar to buy NZ property. They are more welcome then the majority of the current European owners who stole the land from the Maori. I would much rather a purchaser than a thief.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Nice one, puts the labour party down in the gutter, where they should be, I don't think there many Chinese in those unions that Andrew Little loves.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Get over yourself I will be voting for Labour because of this

Aaron Lim, do you think non-resident foreigners should be afforded the same rights to buy residential property as resident New Zealanders? I read your article but amongst all the victim mentality diatribes I couldn't' find the answer to this most basic of questions.

• 101[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

What a load of rubbish. Labours message is that we need to clamp down on foreign buyers. Anyone crying racism or xenophobia like this Aaron Lim clown are either need reading lessons or are part of the problem.

• 76[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I have personally been to great number of auctions in the past 4-5 months while trying to buy a property for our family. There are stunning number of Asians (Chinese looking people) at the auction that not only do not speak English and require an interpreter, but those interpreters have to constantly convert numbers that are printed at the auction to 'some other numbers' on the sheet of paper. Now, tell me they are NZ residents?

• 51[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Brilliant piece, bravo.

• 31[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Trouble is Aaron, it's not people with Korean, Indian, Muslim, Pacific Islander or Maori names buying 40% of the houses.

• 27[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron, we have never met but please rest assured that not everyone here is anti-Chinese.

Would it not be hilarious if all the Chinese buyers (regardless of their residency) changed their names to Smith or Brown?

• 13[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

How do you interperate the FACTS from the Real estate data?

• 11[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Very nice article and well-observed. Everything that could have been said about how idiotic the Labour have handled this has already been said. vIf the Labour party is the Muppet Show then Twyford is Gonzo to Little's Kermit. The utter absurdity of their singling out of the Chinese would be funny if it wasn't so flawed. Let's hope that their solution is the final one!

• 11[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Oh please. This is nothing to do with immigration, this is overseas speculators cashing in on our housing. There would be just as much backlash were it Americans, Britons etc snapping up houses and driving the prices up. Auckland property is being actively marketed as a prime investment opportunity in China, highlighting our lack of capital gains tax, stamp duties etc.

What hope is there for New Zealand residents and citizens trying to get into their first home? And by residents and citizens, I mean people of ALL heritage, born here or otherwise.

• 30[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It is still overseas investors causing problems with the Auckland house prices whoever they are. This is causing first home buyers some grief.

• 14[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

This is a moronic rant. Total and utter childish nonsense.

Opening a much needed dialogue about foreign ownership of domestic property in the face of a government refusing to even collect data on the problem is not racist regardless of whether you agree with Labour. People from all corners of the political spectrum have expressed concern and therefore it's something that needs to happen, both for social and economic reasons

And there there is this article. Honestly. It's as though it was written by a 13 year old high school student. No facts. No arguments. Just good old fashioned ranting.

Come on NZ Herald, I am embarrassed for you.

• 22[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Taking this on the nose arent we. Nobody is against the chinese people here nor there. If you want to not be blamed for a serious economic problem then ask the government who you obviously are lobbying for to capture real data.

• 7[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Even the Chinese government themselves cite the siphoning of corrupt funds from Chinese bureaucrats through their children into markets such as Canada, Australia and NZ, as one of their major economic problems. Yet apparently if I mention the issue I am a racist?

This is absurd.

What is even more absurd is the fact that we let non-citizens vote in this country.

Google the naked officials story on the BBC (including Bo Xilai) and you see how this all works. How can a mid level council manager in China be worth billions of dollars? How many of the young immigrants into this country are actually sons and daughters of Communist Party members?

We are right to be concerned with rampant corruption and its effect on our society.

Wake up dozy Kiwis.

• 13[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Sorry Aaron, for all your education, I can still not quite see the wheat from the straw.

True Xenophobes have most certainly grabbed hold of a piece of straw called Racism, let them run !

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Very good accurate assessment of the "Little" grave that the Labour party have dug themselves - I am wondering what crime the Labour party will pin to my Croatian Surname

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron, its best to calm down before writing angry articles like this, talking war and fighting. Its not helping your cause.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Boy - aren't some people over-sensitive! It would appear that intelligence and a common sense approach to life don't go hand-in-hand in the upper echelons of Otago University. Then again - if common sense was common everyone would have it! At least you get the chance to vote for the Party of your choice in New Zealand. Does that happen in China?

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

They have just added to the many reasons why they are in opposition. And until Labour get a good leader and replace some candidates with ones that have higher IQ's, opposition is where they will stay.

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Dont be ridiculous, you do yourself a disservice by misjudging what they were saying by such an irrational amount

• 4[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

You seem to have confused Labour's clumsy attempt to prove that there is a lot of foreign investment in housing with racism in general. Alarmingly this is exactly the same inept inference that racists make.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Well done Aaron. You could manage to pour oil on the fire. A few more article like this and people may really become racist, thanks to you... LOL
I'm seriously amazed that the Herald publicized an article like this with full of hatred and malevolence without stating any fact...

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Mr Lim, You are not listening and are using National Party diversions. The problem is about piles of money flooding into NZ from China. Get up to speed and stop your racist inspired nonsense.

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Terrible article and analysis.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It's annoying seeing in the media article after article completely missing the point of what Labour did.

They highlighted the complete lack of property market data such as who is buying houses; how long are they waiting before flicking the property off to another speculator; how many houses are currently empty due to such speculation and so on.

• 5[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Well if what they are doing is to gain votes then they have mine. Anyone trying to control foreign investment is getting my vote.

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

This is just plain stupid, if you have a Chinese sounding surname you are significantly more likely to be Chinese than someone who doesn't have a Chinese sounding name. Just like if you have a boys name you are more likely to be male than someone with a typically female name.

The next thing to note is that Labour is yet to make or imply in any way that all Chinese are an issue, the only thing that did was present figures that suggested people with Chinese sounding name were buying 4 times more houses than people with non-Chinese sounding names. They made a logical yet unsubstantiated suggestion that this high representation was due to foreign buyers with Chinese sounding names.

People really need to get their hands on a dictionary and read what the turn "racist" actually means.

• 4[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Wow, a candidate for Dr of what? Incitement?.Everyone has the right to express views on this issue but this is very divisive, considering the burden of proof has still to be served.In the spirit of ignorance I could say that Mr Lim has twisted this issue for his own ends.Whatever ,it's now extremely important that the Govt lays the Stats on the table.How hard is this?Barfoot and Thompson, in the interests of your country, please step up.Truthfully.

• 4[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Most convoluted, straw man laden nonsense ever.

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

This petulant piece completely misrepresents Labour's position. If this is typical of resident Chinese attitudes, then NZ has a colossal problem, much bigger than anyone, even Twyford, thought.

• 3[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Where's there smoke there's fire .......

• 1[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

The other glaring problem is that all foreigners can qualify for residency under the "investor category" simply by purchasing a dollar value of New Zealand's residential property. Thus enabling them to buy up large as residents.

• 2[url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Hi Helen
I think the salient point is the Labour Party who are of course vying to be the next government framed the most "basic of questions" on non-resident foreigners and home ownership with an embarassing list of ethnic names, instead of addressing the issues.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

[people with Chinese sounding surnames, we are at war with the Labour Party.]

But lim is not a chinese sounding name nor is it a chinese name so who is playing a game here?

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Completely agree with your article Aaron. This is blatant racism. For those self-interested people who claim this is not racism, let me ask you this question: the same data released by Labour shows that the highest percentage of property sales during the same period (40.70%) were made to buyers with European sounding surnames. This could be British investors, Australian investors, American investors. Why is no one pointing the finger at them? Answer: racism.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

No-one wants to stop New Zealand residents from buying property so you are mischief making. Foreigners should not be allowed to own residential places if they do not live here permanently so stop twisting the facts to suit your argument

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Let's stick to the issue here - It is non NZ resident buyers of real estate hiking prices in Auckland up into the stratosphere - making it neigh on impossible for many NZers to get a foothold into this market. Capital flows out of China mean that in the absence of action, the problem of housing affordability will only get worse.

In the absence of government data the surname analysis is pretty much the best indication of Chinese influence (and that is where most of the offshore money seems to be coming from) in the Auckland property market.

No doubt some of the data will be due to cashed up recent migrants who may be hiking up prices also, but this would seem more an indictment on NZ's immigration policy and the consequences for NZ than anything else.

Another consideration should be where all this cash is coming from - I cannot help but wonder whether NZers are being a little naïve in this regard. China is very corrupt and many who have made serious money want to get their money out for good reason.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It is not racist at all. All foreign buyers should be banned it just so happens most of them are Chinese, this is a fact not racism. The NZ govt is so worried about upsetting China andtrade deals that it will leave the gates open to rich Chinese to buy up NZ.

If we cant buy in China (or anywhere) then why can they? To hide behind racism is a cop out and misses the point foreigners are buying NZ. It is bad enough we have to pay global prices for milk etc... now global prices for real estate!! On NZ wages!! Wake up NZ......

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"It is still overseas investors causing problems with the Auckland house prices whoever they are. This is causing first home buyers some grief."

Bang on the money! Property prices didn't accelerate like they have because of market demand. Large investors created it. Where have those investors come from? It doesn't matter.

What matters, is that they have been allowed too under this Government. Maybe Labour created the problem and now realise the adverse affect but it is only National that can create policy to curb it. Nick Smith has offered a limp one.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron you do yourself a disservice by writing such an inflammatory article.

Many New Zealanders will read this vitriol and be quite concerned.
Although I agree that perhaps Labour's execution could be better it is undisputable that offshore non-residents (who just happen to be mainly Chinese) are influencing the Auckland property market. The government is in denial.

We need immigration and we need investment into productive assets - migrants coming to Auckland and investing in property does neither. This is not want New Zealand needs.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"The Labour Party has declared political war on Chinese immigrants in New Zealand. "

With respect thats just utter nonsense. Labour have made it crystal clear their concern is with offshore buyers, not immigrants. Their concern is also regardless of race. Labour cant help it if the evidence points at the Chinese being significant buyers.

Im a swing voter by the way, not a Labour Party member. I can't believe a doctoral candidate would come out with such sophistry.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"The Chinese community should not bother to refute Labour's amateurish attempts at data analysis. Neither should we justify why we have the right to buy houses in a free-market economy. The point is we shouldn't have to."

So why are you justifying yourself? Methinks you doth protest too much.

The point is that countries around the world are reporting an increase in demand and hence market price for residential property because of excess supply of Chinese-sourced investment capital. This irrefutable fact has not raised a single cry of "racism" anywhere except in New Zealand. The housing issue in Auckland is a debate about nationalism not racism.

Incidentally, would the Chinese community welcome me to join the New Zealand Chinese Real Estate Association. Such associations should be an irrelevance in a modern equal society.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Can someone explain to me what is benefit of having NZ permanent residency or citizenship.

We are part of neoliberally experiment of raping democracy, and erasing world borders for rich people....

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

"Lists of Maori and Pacific Island names could be used to generate debate on credit risk and propensity to commit crime. By the Labour Party's logic, none of this would be racist. It would merely be a means to the ends of generating a national debate."

These types of statistics are based on empirical evidence such as censuses. There is generally no need to generate a national debate because governments use the census, etc. to formulate policy to address such disparities in our community. But you knew that given your CV. You were just having a weak stab at being facetious.

The point is National have been resolute in avoiding data collection on housing to hide a very obvious market imperfection. Loyal Chinese Kiwis should be joining all other loyal Kiwis to demand this information from their government for the benefit of New Zealand. Or are there vested interests at play?

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron, just out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to have voted National last election? Because your whole article seems like an attempt to distort facts and turn a legitimate non-racist concern into a call to arms against the Labour party. It reads rather like a paid political broadcast from the National Party.

It is worth pointing out that based on the last census Asian citizens in Auckland have on average slightly lower incomes than most. If that is the case then surely they, as much or even more than anyone in Auckland, would benefit enormously if the overseas property speculation was curtailed?

Far from being racist Labour's goal here would arguably benefit racial minorities resident in Auckland more than most. No one cares if that means that property speculators in China, Australia, the USA, or anywhere overseas actually, lose the ability to make windfall profits buying our real estate.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I think you will find that many kiwis do not take issue with Chinese like yourself who have come to NZ to be a part of our country and our culture, but rather those who have come here and not integrated into NZ society, not to mention the foreign investment which is beyond rampant in Auckland.

There is no need to feel victimised, as your situation is entirely different from the one we are talking about! The point is that real kiwis like yourself, are being forced out of the housing market due to ridiculous inflation because of foreign investment and a loose immigration policy.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

It is unfortunate that this is the only information available but you can not blame labour for that. The National government has refused to collect any data about foreign home buyers, they are at fault for this mess. Saying we need to be wary of people that do not live here buying to much of our land is not racist in anyway.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I think this is going overboard and over sensitive. The issue is not about racism. its about flaw in the regulations.

Sadly the statistics could have been portrayed better by listing out the percentage of home buyers that are PR/residents or non residents. I'm pretty sure these information needs to be declared during point of sale and compiled by the agency and gov alike.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

What twaddle - You are not part of the problem, any more than any other citizen of this country. Foreigners purchasing homes are.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I know of a case where a house was sold to the family who seemed to need it the most, rather than to one of the higher bidders, all of whom were Chinese/Asians.

The family who seemed to need it the most were white, and all of the other many buyers were Chinese/Asians.

The seller of the house would have liked the house to go to a 1st-home buyer family, but the real estate agents wouldn't give 1st-home buyers a chance to even see the house. The real estate agents insisted that the seller make a decision forthwith based upon the offers that came flooding in as soon as the house was advertised.

The house was highly suitable for a disabled or wheelchair-bound person. One prospective buyer, who had a disabled family member, was particularly interested in the house for that reason. So even though that family did not submit the highest offer, the house was sold to them.

Needless to say, the seller was accused of flagrant racism for not selling it to the highest bidder. It is beyond most people's comprehension that some people make decisions based upon their moral principles, rather than greed.

PS: Your 4th paragraph is plain silly. People are free to sell to highest bidder.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Just about everyone is racist with a few exceptions, that is how a race survives, it pushes out the weaker ones. When a race is faced with being threatened with extinction it will fight back. So what if people like certain races or religions, it's their choice. The Scots had clans, the Maori tribes, they all liked their particular group within their own race.

Human nature has not changed in the 21st century, people have not embraced the concept of the brotherhood of man, the different races in New Zealand will fight to protect their territory.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Aaron Lim, all Labour has said is that buying houses in NZ should be only available to residents or citizens. Can I go and buy a house in China? If not then by your argument the Chinese are racist!!

If anything you sound like a National supporter, due to them wanting to sell everything to China. Your trying to link Labour to Slobadan Milosovic is downright rubbish!! China is the country responsible for numerous human rights violations not Labour!!

Just look at Chinas land grab in the pacific, building islands to try and exert control over the area and you want us to allow unfettered access to NZ houses and land? If the majority of names on the list were Chinese it just shows we need a check of who is buying our houses and land nothing more nothing less!! As for Susan Devoy she is the biggest joke out of the lot of them!!

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

With due respect; I believe you are going out of your way to misinterpret what these two Labor leaders said & twist it to inflame the situation.

They raised the question of non-resident foreign ownership, not ownership by migrants legally living in NZ.

This is a matter NZ needs to address as the level of perceived non-resident foreign ownership is starting to seriously disturb some people in the society. What is being requested is a ~registry~ so we can asses it & endeavor to best-manage it.

Trying to twist this into some sort of racial discrimination against resident Chinese adds nothing helpful to the debate. If you are a patriotic New Zealander as you claim, & it certainly appears you are; then you have as much interest in managing this matter as the rest of us.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

The issue is about Chinese NON RESIDENTS...Chinese Kiwis (NZ residents) are a brilliant/integral part of our multi cultural society. People who cannot differentiate between Chinese residents and Chinese non residents are making this a racial debate. Non residents are buying up land that residents cannot afford. End of story.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Helen, you might not like the situation but the Free Trade Agreement, which the Labour Government signed in 2008 with the Chinese Government allows for that to legally happen. labour are humbugs and charlatans.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Oh please, get over yourself. This isn't about race. This is about foreign nationals, of any race, speculating & driving up the price of housing in NZ. It doesn't matter if you're Asian, African, European or even Martian.

If you're not a legal resident in NZ, you shouldn't have the ability to buy residential property. It just happens to be Chinese foreign nationals in this instance and nothing to do with being Chinese.

We wouldn't want British or American overseas investors driving up housing costs through offshore speculation either.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

...and they do not seem to go hand in hand with the lower echelons either. The problem in Auckland is in supply, something our Glorious Labour Leader has finally admitted by proposing to restrict foreign ownership only during times of housing crisis.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I wish everyone would stop making out this a race issue. It's not. It's a foreign investment issue. If you live in NZ and buy houses, no problem. It's people from overseas buying up our houses, renting them out, and that income going off shore. Especially when that also leads to higher prices for house buyers who live here.

What race the off shore buyers are, or what country they come from doesn't matter. We would feel the same no matter what country they were from, or what race they were. It just so happens that at the moment it's the Chinese that are doing it.

So stop being anti Chinese. Stop making it into a race issue. Because all those things do is deflect attention from the real culprits who make the laws on foreign buyers/investors, and who should be doing something real about the problem. Direct your anger in the right direction or you are letting the ones really at fault off the hook!

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

I am Maori and have no problem with Chinese paying top dollar to buy NZ property. They are more welcome then the majority of the current European owners who stole the land from the Maori. I would much rather a purchaser than a thief.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Nice one, puts the labour party down in the gutter, where they should be, I don't think there many Chinese in those unions that Andrew Little loves.

• [url=]Like[/url]
• [url=]Reply[/url]
• [url=]Report[/url]
  

Get over yourself I will be voting for Labour because of this