Many use the phrase “the Uniparty” to describe National and Labour, and sadly it is a characterisation that carries a lot of truth. For decades now Labour has set the political agenda and the Nats have followed lamely along. When in power, the Nats have not only failed to repeal Labour legislation but worse have even implemented laws favourable to Labour in the mistaken belief they’re doing good.

National Party MPs are already making noises about bringing Afghani refugees to New Zealand and party stalwart David Farrar was last week advocating on his blog for 1000 of them to be brought here immediately.

Yesterday afternoon Ardern said she would bring a number of Afghanis and their families (usually this means an average of 5 family members to 1 refugee) but didn’t really clarify how many. We’ll probably never be told how many really end up here.

The bottom line is both parties seem unable to find a reason not to bring Afghani refugees to New Zealand. In fact there are many such reasons, and if we had a true democracy, someone would be voicing them. Why is it that we cannot have a debate on the issue?

Here is a message for the Uniparty, and National in particular. Your priority is the well being of New Zealand citizens. Not just those (estimated 104) stuck in Afghanistan, but the citizens of our NZ towns and cities and country communities right now. How about you take a second to think of their welfare?

By what right do the Nats or Labour decide to unilaterally bring unvetted people from a starkly different culture into our communities in a move that could quite easily be more of a negative than a positive? Who is responsible for the inherent risk?

Leaving aside the fact that this country has already given far too much to Afghanistan, including the lives of 10 NZ soldiers, which if we go on current events, appear to have been wasted. We also contributed $109m​ into aid projects such as farm development and school and hospital buildings.

This is on top of the hundreds of millions spent on the military campaign. Yesterday we gave another $3 million. Which ironically comes from funds we have to borrow. We’ve about done enough for Afghanistan, and for what?

“Hang on” say the bleeding heart Liberals of the Uniparty. What about doing “the humanitarian thing?” Well, we did the humanitarian thing for 20 years, and when the Taliban came rolling into town it all counted for nothing as the Afghan army folded like a cheap suit. With decades of costly training and billions of dollars of Western arms at their disposal, they did nothing.

But what about the Afghans who helped us? All Afghans who “helped us” did so because they were paid good money to do so. In many cases they took the money for only a modicum of effort. See the video below shot twelve years ago wherein the Afghan Army trainees are disinterested layabouts who can’t leave off smoking hashish long enough to become real soldiers.

Working with western forces is in fact no guarantee of loyalty to the cause. The video above tells the story of an Afghan interpreter who worked with a US platoon for a year. The US soldiers trusted him and treated him as a friend, and he betrayed them to the Taliban by helping set up an IED that killed one soldier and severely injured four more.

Say we do take in 1000 Afghan refugees. That grows to around 5000 when families also arrive. Will this make NZ a better country in the future, or will it just make it a little bit more like Afghanistan?

Europe has learned the folly of trying to assimilate Afghans. Germany’s government just conducted a study showing that rates of violent crime shot up abruptly in 2015. The year refugees from Afghanistan and Syria arrived in Germany. More than 90% of the new crimes in Germany were committed by asylum seekers.

New Zealand is not in good shape right now. We are struggling with covid-19, especially the vaccinations. We have a major poverty issue. We’re desperately short of houses. Rents are skyrocketing. We have a major race problem forced upon us by self described “Maori” separatists.

Crime and violent crime in particular is out of control. Welfare is stretched to the limit. Our cities and roads and public services are massively overloaded. Electricity is in short supply. So how can bringing 5000 Afghan refugees here help with any of this?

It will not. NZ politicians need to start thinking more about the citizens of this country, and put New Zealanders’ welfare before any grandiose virtue signaling ideas they might have about Afghani refugees.

Video- US troops frustrated with training Afghani Army recruits.