Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Mana wants NZ opened up to Pacific

Updated at 7:08 pm on 20 November 2011

The Mana Party says people from the South Pacific should be allowed to enter New Zealand on the same basis as Australians.

The party launched its foreign policy outside the Papakura Military Base in South Auckland on Sunday.

Foreign policy spokesperson John Minto says New Zealand has had a very discriminatory attitude towards people from the Pacific Islands for a long time.

"If a person comes here to support their families and have worked here for decades, there's no reason to continue to treat them as overstayers.

"They were treated shamefully right from the start - we should make that redress by opening up New Zealand to the Pacific."

Mr Minto says Mana would support an amnesty on overstayers from the South Pacific.

The party says it would also bring New Zealand troops back from Afghanistan and use the money saved to feed children in low decile schools.

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