NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

We like Asians even more, survey finds

Lincoln Tan
By Lincoln Tan
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
26 Jan, 2009 03:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

New Zealanders' perceptions of Asians are improving. Photo / Martin Sykes
New Zealanders' perceptions of Asians are improving. Photo / Martin Sykes

New Zealanders' perceptions of Asians are improving. Photo / Martin Sykes

KEY POINTS:

More New Zealanders say Asian immigrants not only bring in valuable cultural diversity but also improve workplace productivity, a survey has found.

The survey of 1000 New Zealanders, conducted from late September to October, and released yesterday, found that 82 per cent thought Asian immigrants brought valuable cultural diversity to New Zealand, up from 76 per cent in 2007.

Six in 10 said Asian employees improved workplace productivity, a rise of 10 per cent, said Asia New Zealand Foundation.

The report, 2008 Perceptions of Asia, also found 75 per cent of New Zealanders saw the Asian region as being more important to New Zealand's future than Europe (67 per cent) and North America (55 per cent).

New Zealanders are also mixing more with their Asian neighbours and the survey also found that Kiwis felt warmer towards people from China, India and Japan compared with their Australian counterparts.

The report said contact remained a key factor to beliefs and feelings toward Asian people, and New Zealanders who have "hardly any" contact with Asians felt significantly cooler towards them than those who have had at least some contact.

Almost 6 in 10, or 58 per cent, said they had "a lot" or "a fair amount" of personal involvement with people from Asia, up from 48 per cent last year.

Dr Andrew Butcher, the foundation's research director, said the survey "clearly shows that more New Zealanders are interacting with their Asian neighbours, colleagues and classmates".

However, to most New Zealanders, China comes to mind first when they thought of Asia and 27 per cent of respondents said they felt New Zealanders were "less warm" towards Chinese people than a year ago, with only 22 per cent who thought "more warm".

Their main reasons were the contaminated milk scandal, negative media publicity and a concern that people from China will have too much influence on New Zealand society.

But those who felt warmer said the Beijing Olympics and that Asian people have "progressed" and "changed their way of thinking" as their main reasons.

Economically, a majority also thought New Zealand would benefit from a relationship with Asia, with 91 per cent who said Asia was an important export market and 80 per cent thought the region's economic growth would have a positive impact on New Zealand.

Additionally, 73 per cent thought free-trade agreements with Asian countries would reap benefits and 89 per cent indicating Asian tourism would have a positive impact.

Dr Butcher said the results were encouraging as it showed that New Zealanders appreciated the positive aspects that migrants from Asia brought to New Zealand.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'$1 million': Kiwis in lawsuit fighting for Singapore Airlines compo

22 May 08:00 AM
New Zealand

Education’s $2.5b Budget boost: Where the money is going

22 May 07:46 AM
Premium
Politics

Budget papers reveal effective 0.5% tax hike on 180k families, considered company tax cut

22 May 07:33 AM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Global conflicts reach highest level since WWII, data reveals
World

Global conflicts reach highest level since WWII, data reveals

22 May 08:28 AM
'Extremely difficult to perform': Miley Cyrus opens up on health battle
Entertainment

'Extremely difficult to perform': Miley Cyrus opens up on health battle

22 May 08:16 AM
'$1 million': Kiwis in lawsuit fighting for Singapore Airlines compo
New Zealand

'$1 million': Kiwis in lawsuit fighting for Singapore Airlines compo

22 May 08:00 AM
Education’s $2.5b Budget boost: Where the money is going
New Zealand

Education’s $2.5b Budget boost: Where the money is going

22 May 07:46 AM
Singapore Airlines adds seats, boosts freight capacity to Christchurch
Travel news

Singapore Airlines adds seats, boosts freight capacity to Christchurch

22 May 07:36 AM

Latest from New Zealand

'$1 million': Kiwis in lawsuit fighting for Singapore Airlines compo

'$1 million': Kiwis in lawsuit fighting for Singapore Airlines compo

22 May 08:00 AM

Singapore Airlines initially sent direct compensation offers to passengers in June.

Education’s $2.5b Budget boost: Where the money is going

Education’s $2.5b Budget boost: Where the money is going

22 May 07:46 AM
Premium
Budget papers reveal effective 0.5% tax hike on 180k families, considered company tax cut

Budget papers reveal effective 0.5% tax hike on 180k families, considered company tax cut

22 May 07:33 AM
 Egregious or reasonable? Economists split over student loan repayment threshold freeze

Egregious or reasonable? Economists split over student loan repayment threshold freeze

22 May 07:25 AM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search