Professor Tahu Kukutai
Professor Tahu Kukutai from the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis at the University of Waikato; following on from the government’s announcement of Productivity Commission inquiry into the impact of immigration on the labour market, housing and natural environment.
Professor Kukutai is a leading demographer believing Covid-19 has exposed a short-sighted population approach and calls for Māori interests to be recognised in immigration; she says the lack of a long-term plan for dealing with future population change could cost the country dearly.
Her work for the Capturing the Diversity Dividend of Aotearoa/New Zealand (CaDDANZ) research programme has largely focused on Māori dimensions, and she says she has been struck by the exclusion of Māori from decisions relating to immigration.