Wellington: Government population figures show that New Zealand's Asian population is growing faster than any other ethnic group and will outnumber indigenous Maori by 2026.

The findings released on Wednesday drew the ire of Peter Brown, deputy leader of the anti-immigrant New Zealand First Party, which contends the door should be shut on Asian immigrants, claiming they do not integrate into mainstream society.

"The matter is serious. If we continue this open door policy, there is real danger we will be inundated with people who have no intention of integrating into our society. The greater the number, greater the risk," he said in a statement.

Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter condemned the comments. "I think he's absolutely being racist," he said of Brown. "He shouldn't be condemning people because of their race or culture."

Carter said Asian New Zealanders were proving their worth. Asian students were "disproportionately successful," while in crime statistics, Asian New Zealanders were "disproportionately absent," he said.

The chief executive of the country's Employers and Manufacturers Association, Alasdair Thompson, said Brown's comments were "racial stereotyping of the worst sort."

One in six of the staff at the association were Asian and without exception were highly-skilled and valuable people, he said.

"We need newer migrants. We don t need Mr Brown's racism," he said.
Source : PTI