I'm not apologising, I have nothing to apologise for. I am simply saying that it is unfortunate that Mr. Ng has been made to feel unwelcome in his own country. we all feel abit like that at times, I'm 6th generation apparently on my mums side... but ti still don't feel right about the way this country was settled, and sometimes have felt that maybe I don't have a right to be here. It's a horrible feeling. But it shouldn't prevent me from examining what europeans have done in this country. Just as Mr Ngs discomfort at the spectre of xenophobia raised by this topic shouldn't prevent us from examining whether or not the housing market is being pushed up by investment from a large number of non resident chinese, among other investors. The problem is we don't have stats... so we can assume that although there is possibly a large percentage non resident Chinese investing in our housing market, the actual foreign investment rate is going to be higher, because of all the european sounding names that will also be investing here.
I just find it hilarious personally that suddenly a lot of those on the right are suddenly falling all over themselves defending minorities in NZ. How unusual....

Hmmm interesting, what this article does not do, is prove that foreign investors, including a lot of asian investors, are NOT pushing up house prices.
Occam's razor says that the simplest answer is often the correct one, ie that a large portion of house sales, far greater than the proportion of resident chinese in Auckland are being sold to people with chinese names, because, a lot of non resident chinese are investing in auckland. I believe it's true that there is not a great rate of return on investment in china because the government there keeps interest rates artificially low, so it would make a lot of sense to invest in New Zealand's wide open, unprotected and inflationary housing market, now wouldn't it. Given that there are over a billion chinese, it's a fair supposition to assume that even if a small percentage of moneyed chinese invest here it would add to the inflationary pressure.
Quite simple really.
We don't even collect proper stats, which I'm sure is by design. So we have to guess based on what we can find out from what's available.
Its classic right wing free market ploy to suddenly give a toss about minorities, breaking with all tradition, and pull the race baiting card against any criticism of neoliberalism and free trade policy outcomes. Outcomes which can include non residents investing in your country's housing stock and playing it like it's stockmarket casino.
Conveniently enough, we don't have hard stats, so anyone who raises any concerns can be written off as "racist", or "xenophobic".
I'm sorry if the author of this article feels offended. This does not change the fact that our housing market, particularly in Auckland, is quite posiibly being inflated at least in part by overseas investment.
From what I recall, anecdotal evidence from people attending house auctions in Auckland would also tend to confirm this possibility.
It certainly warrants looking into, that's for sure.
We can expect the right wing to suddenly get all touchy and extremely PC if it serves their purposes. No surprises there.
Every tactic is on the table for the right when it comes to protecting their own interests. Regardless of their supposed ideals, which of course are always for sale to the highest bidder if there is a buck to be made.

*lost not last jobs *we're etc... please excuse shocking typos

Whose lawn? " for working people "Actually, I doubt you will find a single person who doesn't, or hasn't worked down at occupy, so where allowed to use the area so long as we're happy little drones and we only use it on the few hours of the week we actually have to our selves, but not if we want to participate in our democracy on a meaningful level? When we have an absolutely pathetic media, and journalism has hit an all time low? When the system is consistently failing and driving our species toward extinction?

Actually, public spaces are for everyone, whether they last their jobs in the crisis or not.

And what Occupy are doing is a shit load more important than a nice empty lawn to look at. Nobody said don't come down and eat your lunch, and for those of us who don't have decent work at he moment, we're employing ourselves advocating the rights of everyone, including you buggers, so be grateful for a change, look up at who is responsible for things being the way they are, rather than falling for the propaganda and blaming some imaginary class of evil poor people on benefits.