There, there. It's ok. Really. It is. Time out. Here, sit down. Put your feet up. Let me get your teddy bear.



You sound exasperated.



What exactly would you feel is OK to post on these boards?



Give us a set of topics we can safely discuss. Perhaps, it would be ok for us to talk about who is going to be the next boss of the All Blacks?



That's a humdinger of a topic.



Maybe we should focus on how bad Australia is. I am sure you wouldn't begrudge us that?



Or, can we safely discuss the goings on in Shortland Street?



Can I just thank you? It's good that the thought police, like yourself, take their internet forum roles so seriously.



I won't think or put my fingers onto the keyboard until you give me the go ahead to do so.

I am exasperated. I've taken the bait far too many times for my own good, and sadly for you I'm not about to take it this time. This forum is riddled with trolls! What a waste.

Nothing is a waste....this time last week we did not have your views and opinions. They are all valuable.



Just take a break from the computer - it makes me mad sometimes as well!



In fact I suggested Hanstalin take a break today as well!



This forum has covered an enormous amount of teritory in a very quick time.



No one can quite keep up - but everyone's point of view is valued - don't think it is not.



Thanks to everyone from whose input we have learnt a lot in such a short few days.



Trisha

_________________
We are a family of 5 who arrived in Christchurch Jan 2006 and left in July 2008.

Rachel now working in Australia as a qualified nurse, Hannah is off to Uni in UK to study English Lit and Lang and Naomi waiting for GCSE results.

I have seen first interview and I was really surprised by comments.



It looks that NZ is nice and tolerant country. If some immigrant have different opinion should just shut-up, pack-up and return overseas.



What an impressive example of tolerance, isn't it?



Personally I like NZ, and I have spend here last 4 years of my live. I really like outdoor lifestyle and lack of bureaucracy.



I believe that biggest misunderstanding between disappointed immigrants and local Kiwis is is an image of NZ created overseas by immigration industry and tourism organizations. This image is very far from reality. For immigration and tourism organizations NZ is noting more that marketing product that they are trying to sell...



Some people believe in this image because they want to believe that paradise really exist.



After spending all-live savings to move to NZ it is really hard to move back (if not impossible).



That is building real frustration. Frustration is causing negation all aspect of life in NZ what is IMHO very wrong.

Trisha - I suggest you rein in your hounds of hell and start recruiting people who don't condescend - members such as your euroimmigrant and appledragon come across as here for the show and aren't doing your site any favours. Or maybe get more like them and sink in to obscurity.. it's like being harrased by a gang of football hooligans (you know, ALL football fans are hooligans)

Canterbrit - I would suggest you check all your own postings before condemning anyone else.



What I wrote earlier applied to everyone - because everyone is a valued member.



I don't have the sort of power you are writing about - who has?



This forum is open to all and with respect for each other it will grow in strength.



Be patient and kind.



Trisha

...now, don't get me wrong. I am certainly a supporter of this site and what it is trying to do.



But, I do feel that 'wrc555' has been vilified a bit for making some valid points.



I agree that this site will be a better resource for migrants and would-be migrants if people stick to their personal stories and experiences. As several posters have said, it can be easy to twist statistics to prove a point.



Oh, and wrc555, the one difference between Gwyneth Paltrow and many recent NZ migrants is she has the money to relocate easily if she does not like a particular country. Many recent migrants are not in the same position as Gwyneth. So, the inevitable criticism she encountered seems a bit more justified than the personal attacks Wintersmith has endured.



In the immortal words of Rodney King..."can't we all just get along?"

_________________
I am a recently crowned NZ citizen who moved to Wellington with my partner in August 2006. Previously, we lived in Atlanta in the SE United States.

I have a general question for those unable to get the work in NZ, or at least the work they want.



Is it because there is no demand in NZ for your skills or is the demand there but for some reason you are missing out on the opportunities. There is a big difference between the two.

You consider a medical doctor a job that is not in demand in NZ?

Alastair, let me reply in this way, do you know how many Asian Canterbury engineering graduates cannot find a job in NZ? Are you saying NZ doesn't need engineers anymore? Because IPENZ definitely thinks otherwise.



Or are you trying to tell us that all of them are missing out on the opportunities? Please, we both know you are more intelligent than making that kind of generalisation.

CLC. NZ needs engineers, but many on this board have complained that NZ is not developed enough to justify somebody with their skill level. I'm just interested to know what those skills are that are not needed here.

I must have missed these many posts. Can you refer me to them please?

_________________
Ego regressit ut meus terra.
Ego video.
Ego despero.
Ego decessit.

Alastair, could you first reply to Kiwi Abroad's question pls? You really need to sort out what your argument is.

maybe Alistair needs to rephrase his question.



but i do see his point: some people who come here have higher expectations, could be related to pay or status (from previous jobs overseas)

So before the arguments were (1) these people are lack of skills (2) they are clueless about opportunities around them. Now it's (3) perhaps these people expect too much.







Right, these damned fools should be sorry that they don't want to drive taxi or open an ethnic restaurant after quitting their original jobs overseas. Talking about missing opportunities around them eh! Super, problem solved.



Until the day we all acknowledge that bigotry is a problem in NZ, we won't move forward.

G'day



I belive that NZ do not need skilled migrants. Internal job market for high-tech or just technical jobs is small. NZ is mainly agricultural country. Industry sector is very small and it is clearly visible in export statistic below. So I cant see any industrial boom that requires importing a significant number of skilled migrants.



Maybe NZ govt is trying to import skilled migrants to fulfill gap after skilled Kiwis moving to AU and UK?



According to officials statistics NZ is exporting more wool products that industrial products:



http://www.stats.govt.nz/pr...-2006/exports.htm



Also OECD page descibe export Structure of NZ as agriculture oriented:



http://www.stats.govt.nz/pr...ational-trade.htm



Main exports



For most OECD countries, the main export group is machinery and transport equipment, followed by chemical products, food and drink, crude materials, and mineral fuels. In contrast, New Zealand’s main exports are food and drink, followed by machinery and equipment, forestry articles, aluminium and

aluminium articles, wool, and crude materials.



New Zealand has developed its agriculture and manufacturing industries to suit the needs of niche markets. The farming industry provides a large proportion of food and drink exports in the form of dairy and meat products.

in the TV interview, but not with a whole chunk of it. I've lived overseas for quite a large part of my life, returning 10 years ago with my foreign born partner. Yes, NZ does have a problem with racism, particularly with Asians and to some degree with Americans (you will have to thank Bush for that one). However, I dont think that the people here are any more racist than anywhere else its more like we dont have a "filter" feature on what we say, that people in other multicultural countries have developed. Kiwis say what they think, other people dont necessarily. But Kiwis were caned in that interview for lots of other aspects, very unfairly. So we are "intolerant"? Heck no! NZ is a very tolerant place - maybe not in terms of race, but in my experience Kiwis tend to take people how they find them. I'm from a minority myself and I live rurally in an area that we thought could be a little red-neck, but we have found it is completely the opposite - very welcoming people. You couldnt get better people on the planet, let alone some other country. And it is fast becoming a migrant area - lots of people from the UK moving in and being welcomed. We were also lambasted for being "uncivilised". WTF does that mean? Is it because we walk around with bare feet? We are very casual people - that is part of our culture. Dont we have enough art galleries for you? "uncivilised" just smacks of someone putting the boot in. Either that or you really dont "get" us, and that is not our fault.

It's all relative Adam. NZ industry is small but that doesn't necessary mean we don't need skilled people. Before I left NZ four years ago I had an engineering job in the chemicals manufacturing sector in a rural part of NZ. Three years after I left the company were still advertising my old job because of a lack of suitable applicants.

I have been a Kiwi for thirty years and very proud to be able to say so. If there is intolerance, it is not only on the New Zealanders' side. If you choose to move to another country, you are expected to tolerate the differences you find. Otherwise, why bother to come? If a lawyer, for example, has been practising for years in Hong Kong, say, of course we would expect that person to take our examinations before practising here. The same with a doctor or a nurse. If a doctor has been working in Capetown where there are different diseases seen and different social structures, different methods of treatment, etc. of course they should sit a local exam before being allowed to practise here. That is not demeaning. That is sensible and appropriate. If a cabin steward on an aeroplane leaves one airline for another, there is a certain amount of retraining involved. That's as it should be. Why anyone who is qualified overseas should think they can just walk into a new country and pick up a job without any retraining puzzles me. It could be potentially dangerous.



When I arrived from UK thirty years ago, I was welcomed by complete strangers, helped, supported and encouraged. I did my best to fit in with the way of life, even though it was different in many ways from the way I had been brought up. Going without shoes? Never. Being casual instead of formal? I think not.



I found the local ways to be relaxing and friendly, but I had to change my outlook to accept things. If this were Rome, I would be doing as the Romans do.



If immigrants move here and start to criticise, try to change things in the space of a fortnight (so to speak) and generally complain that they are not treated well, then of course they will be unhappy. It is up to the visitor to change to fit the country, not the other way around. If someone moves into my house, I expect them to live by my rules while under my roof. If they do not, they wont be welcome for long.



Social systems evolve over years, not simply change to fit newcomers just because the newcomers whinge and complain instead of getting down to trying to fit into the space that has been offered to them.

Last edited by Happykiwi on Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:09 pm

There is one very important point worth mentioning regarding immigrants, especially asian immigrants. The point is that their reputation that NZ is just a stepping stone to greener pastures does them no favours regarding employment, this fact I have experienced first hand. I worked for a manufacturing company in a rural part of NZ that employed an asian graduate from Auckland university. The graduate came with the promise that he wanted to experience provincial NZ but it was really just a stepping stone for greener pastures. This angered the company management and although they would never be explicitly racist about it, it's easy to imagine that "discrimination" against asians (because of their reputation) is the next logical step. Unless you are in NZ for the right reason, employers won't be interested. No company in their right mind wants to be used as a training exercise. So if you are an immigrant, please bear this in mind.