NZ. Kicking out the migrants...

**Swoop** · 11th February 2008, 20:41

... before they arrive?

Surely he has a conection with NZ and dosen't appear to be a drain on the taxpayer. Earning nearly $90,000 a year off of the UK pension!
Also, healthy enough to cruise the world to get here.

Link.
A 101-year-old Briton may be kicked out of New Zealand after immigration bosses rejected his plea to spend his final years living with his son, his only living relative.

Eric King-Turner, 102, and his wife arrive in New Zealand in three days
Despite savings of £145,000 and a £33,000 a year pension, the widower may have to pack his bags after being told his circumstances "do not make him special." A retired research chemist whose son is a university professor, the man, who has not been named, had pleaded to stay in New Zealand after arriving in 2006.

Details of his case emerged yesterday, just three days before the arrival of 102-year-old Eric King-Turner, from Hampshire, who will be New Zealand's oldest ever immigrant.

Mr King-Turner has been allowed to move with his Kiwi-born wife, Doris, 87, and has spent the last weeks sailing from Southampton to his new home.

But although the unnamed man told the country's Residence Review Board that he, like Mr King-Turner, is hale and hearty, officials have been unmoved by his plight fearing he may be a drain on health resources.

"The centre of gravity of my immediate family is very clearly in New Zealand," wrote the man in a letter reported in a New Zealand newspaper yesterday.

Hard-nosed bureaucrats, however, said if they wanted to stay in touch his son should make the 24,000 mile round trip to visit him in Britain.

"Overall the appellant's age, his financial resources, the fact that the appellant has no family in Great Britain, do not make him special," the board said in a written decision.

"The board appreciates the submission made that the appellant's son is the only living family member the appellant has, but for many years the appellant has lived in Great Britain, apart from his son and alone.

"Presumably his son has visited him in that time and there is no evidence as to why his son could not continue to do this in the future." The decision has drawn fire from New Zealand's opposition spokesman on immigration, Dr Lockwood Smith.

"I don't think we have a very smart policy when it comes to old folk," he said. "To just say no is not good enough.

"I know there are concerns that elderly people become a drain on society but where people are of significant means and they have assets and a pension it ought to be possible." More than 10,000 Britons were granted New Zealand residency permits last year, nearly 25 per cent of all immigrants.

**Trudes** · 11th February 2008, 20:44

That's a shame! Just the kind of immigrants we need, loaded and almost ready to shuffle off! Why not let him in, it's not like he's likely to be here long or try and collect the doll or a pension.

**Finn** · 11th February 2008, 20:46

Yet we let in fat, useless Somalians with aids.

**98tls** · 11th February 2008, 20:47

Yep.......just about sums this country up really,have no doubts that Helen will allow a huge influx of skinnys from Somalia within the next week or 2 to restore relations after the fat ones deeds at altitude.

**yod** · 11th February 2008, 20:59

yeah cuz they must all be the same

obviously

**Conquiztador** · 11th February 2008, 21:54

At 101 you would think that a one years visitors visa should be enuf for rest of his life...

**heyjoe** · 11th February 2008, 22:10

If one was to use the 'why not let them in' line all the time then why don't we let everyone in who wants to. I am not up with the exact laws on immigration but when the laws were being created and were bills etc everyone had the chance to have their say through the various readings. To throw that all out the window makes a mockery of having them in the first place. Laws can also be amended as they get reviewed. If you don't like them - get them changed. As long as there is enough appropriate support then it could happen.

I am not anti-immigration of any peoples based on age, wealth, colour, culture, etc. There is a time and place for everything.

Having said that, I also agree with the one year visa idea.

**Bikernereid** · 11th February 2008, 23:10

As someone who wants to live in NZ permanently I find this insane. OK I will be a skilled worker but I will not be coming over with anything like his resources.

This guy can financially support himself, has family there and will be able to pay for his own medical costs without draining the NZ economy. If anything he will be spending his £ and suporting the NZ economy.

So maybe I am a bit slow but I do not see where the problem is going to be?

**Sanx** · 11th February 2008, 23:51

Originally Posted by Bikern1mpho

As someone who wants to live in NZ permanently I find this insane. OK I will be a skilled worker but I will not be coming over with anything like his resources.

This guy can financially support himself, has family there and will be able to pay for his own medical costs without draining the NZ economy. If anything he will be spending his £ and suporting the NZ economy.

So maybe I am a bit slow but I do not see where the problem is going to be?

The problem, my dear, is that he's the wrong sort of person.

He has a healthy income and isn't going to go straight on the dole and any other benefit he can find.
He's not going to go round stealing stuff, tagging any available flat surface, or kidnapping his countrymen.
He can speak English fluently.
He's not going to immediately claim special privilege by virtue of his culture.
He's unlikely to vote Labour.

**Bikernereid** · 11th February 2008, 23:52

Now you have hit the nail on the head- voting Labour. I am buggered then!!

Originally Posted by Sanx

The problem, my dear, is that he's the wrong sort of person.

He has a healthy income and isn't going to go straight on the dole and any other benefit he can find.
He's not going to go round stealing stuff, tagging any available flat surface, or kidnapping his countrymen.
He can speak English fluently.
He's not going to immediately claim special privilege by virtue of his culture.
He's unlikely to vote Labour.

**Keith the Pom** · 12th February 2008, 00:11

This case was recently highlighted on one of our local southern-UK TV news bulletins, simply because of the unusual circumstances, i.e. his age.

Look at the facts: (a) His missus - NoK - is a born-and-bred Kiwi, thus she has the right to 'come home'; (b) his son is a university professor, who's therefore presumably doing good work for the NZ community; AND (c) the old boy is bloody loaded to the gunnels with money .. and he's lucid & healthy - looked it too on the telly the other night.

At the end of the day just what does your government want, eh? He and his have already, and still want to bring shitloads of good stuff to your country .. wisdom, BIG tax revenues, etceteras.

I am bemused?! My son is working darn hard right now teaching mathematics to your kids (+ he's Head of Department) in a secondary school up in Northland. I think I must now advise him to come back home, where he's bound to be a bit more appreciated. That would be fair. This will also leave more space for a few more Asian immigrants into your fine country (at least it was once upon a time) ..

Rant Over!

[I'm Sorry]

**Bikernereid** · 12th February 2008, 00:23

I agree with a lot of what you are saying but at the end of the day you can;t blame the asians or any other ethnic minority ifor wanting a better life. It is the NZ government that is to blame. NZ has the same problem as Canada and believe me the ethnic Canadians are pissed too about the Indian/Pakistani immigrant problem.

It does make me laugh that the immigration department make us jump through hoops to get in and then seem to let so much riff raff in with no problems. Maybe it is something to do with us being ex Colonial dictators!!

Originally Posted by Keith the Pom

This case was recently highlighted on one of our local southern-UK TV news bulletins, simply because of the unusual circumstances, i.e. his age.

Look at the facts: (a) His missus - NoK - is a born-and-bred Kiwi, thus she has the right to 'come home'; (b) his son is a university professor, who's therefore presumably doing good work for the NZ community; AND (c) the old boy is bloody loaded to the gunnels with money .. and he's lucid & healthy - looked it too on the telly the other night.

At the end of the day just what does your government want, eh? He and his have already, and still want to bring shitloads of good stuff to your country .. wisdom, BIG tax revenues, etceteras.

I am bemused?! My son is working darn hard right now teaching mathematics to your kids (+ he's Head of Department) in a secondary school up in Northland. I think I must now advise him to come back home, where he's bound to be a bit more appreciated. That would be fair. This will also leave more space for a few more Asian immigrants into your fine country (at least it was once upon a time) ..

Rant Over!

[I'm Sorry]

**PrincessBandit** · 12th February 2008, 06:03

Originally Posted by Keith the Pom

I am bemused?! ...

I'd say a good percentage of us are too. Our country is largely run by idiots who wouldn't know what commonsense and the ability to use discretion in appropriate ways are, even if it hit them between the eyes on the end of a sledgehammer.