The country would be a 'hell hole' without NZ values - Winston Peters
There are countless examples of people not respecting NZ values, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters.
NZ First passed a remit to introduce a Respecting New Zealand Values
Bill for migrants and refugees at the party's annual conference over the
weekend.
Respect for gender equality, legal sexual preferences, freedom of
religion and a commitment not to campaign against alcohol consumption
are among the values the Bill includes.
Mr Peters told Morning Report people signing up to NZ values would help
to deter the mass exploitation of migrants including of Indian students
and of new nationals in the restaurant trade.
"One of our values is that we do have a minimum wage, we do have minimum
work standards and if people are massively exploited then there has to
be consequences for those people that do that. Frequently, it's been
done to their own."
These things should be unacceptable, he said.
"If they're coming into the country, then they should be asked before
they actually sign up, 'do you understand what it entails?'"
"Canada does it, Australia does it, France does it, what's the big deal here?"
In many ways New Zealand has built a special country based on the values
it has spent that past 150 years talking about, he said.
"We've spent the last 150 plus years as a country trying to develop New
Zealand values, it hasn't been a total success but it hasn't been a
total failure either."
New Zealand hasn't quite achieved these values but they are tangible, he said.
"The moment you take them away, you begin to realise what a hell hole we would be."
While some people in the party take this further than others, it is an important debate to have, he said.
"If you don't like those things, then perhaps maybe you should go to some other country."
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