Election 2011: Mana party says Island workers 'used and abused' by NZ

John Minto. Photo / Chris Loufte

The Mana Party wants New Zealand's South Pacific neighbours to have the same access and working rights here as Australians have.

It is one of three main planks of the foreign affairs policy released yesterday by third-placed list candidate John Minto.

Mr Minto told reporters that New Zealand treated its Pacific neighbours as a cheap source of unskilled labour "to be used and abused".

"We have been happy to take Pacific workers into New Zealand to work in our low-paid industries, to do the dirty work, and then we've been shunting them back to the islands whenever we want to."

Australians came to New Zealand to get jobs and no one batted an eyelid.

"I think the same opportunities should be there for the Pacific countries."

Mr Minto believed there should be an amnesty for current overstayers.

He released the policy yesterday outside the gates of the Papakura military camp, where New Zealand's Special Air Service is based.

Mana also wants all New Zealand defence personnel in Afghanistan brought back immediately, including the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan and the SAS in Kabul.

The money saved from bringing home the troops would be used to feed children from decile one to three primary schools at a cost of about $38 million, Mr Minto said.

The Mana Party also wants to see an end to New Zealand's involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade and investment agreement being negotiated with eight other countries and all other free trade agreements New Zealand is involved with.