Migrants from Asian countries told a Wanganui political meeting last night of their frustration at not being truly accepted as New Zealanders.
And their dislike for New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was palpable.
They spoke frankly at a National Party meeting where the first New Zealand MP of Asian origin, Pansy
Wong, was warmly received.
Despite a recognition that people with Asian ethnicity were good students and good in business, they needed to contribute more broadly in New Zealand society, she said.
Mrs Wong's personal view was that there should not be a stand-alone ministry of ethnic affairs.
"The ethnic community really wants access to services," she said.
"Otherwise, we're promoting another bureaucracy and we're not going to get anywhere."
She was asked whether National would join hands with Mr Peters this year.
"Everywhere I go with ethnic communities there's a nervousness about Winston Peters," she said.
However, she believed they were becoming wise to Mr Peters' behaviour and the fact that his comments about immigrants were coming in a three-year cycle.
"The more party votes we have, the less we have to compromise with small parties," she said, sidestepping the original question.
"We have to see what sort of a hand voters deal to us." Some bottom lines already had been laid down by party leader Don Brash, Mrs Wong said.
Predictably, she let no cats out of National's bag because Dr Brash is scheduled to release the party's immigration policy in Wanganui this afternoon.
Law and order was the No 1 priority concern for Asian communities throughout New Zealand, she said, and they were particularly upset that the law was strongly on the side of offenders.
Underlining the need for one standard of citizenship, Mrs Wong said: "We have to celebrate the fact we are New Zealanders."
Asian speakers gave numerous examples of bureaucratic and policy obstacles to people wanting to move to New Zealand, visit New Zealand or be treated the same as migrants from other parts of the world. They complained that their qualifications and work experience often was not recognised.
Mrs Wong echoed their criticism of the Immigration Service for slow processing of applications and accused it of having a siege mentality.
"Their response is to just shut the door and not let anybody in."
