New Zealanders' attitudes to Asia and Asian peoples: An exceptional case?

Abstract

The geopolitical reorientation of New Zealand from Britain to Asia has occurred over recent decades, and is manifested in the changing mix of New Zealand's trading partners and in an altered demographic profile for the country. By 2014, seven of New Zealand's top 10 trading partners were in Asia. New Zealand had multiple Asian-language newspapers, television and radio stations, and websites. In 2013, 23% of Aucklanders were Asian, and by 2021, it is anticipated that almost 30% of Aucklanders will be Asian, a mix of those born in New Zealand and born elsewhere. The issue that is explored here is how opinions have changed in response to - or alongside - these changing geopolitical connections and a much more significant Asian presence in terms of a domestic demography. Given the relative rapidity of the change to the latter and the significance of the shift of alignment, especially in relation to trade (from Europe to Asia), do public opinion data reflect an enduring or new level of anxiety, or is there evidence of an accommodation and an acceptance? As the material presented in this article indicates, New Zealanders are largely positive about the economic benefits of this realignment, but there are signs of ambivalence to the changed demography of New Zealand, including signs of particular concern among Ma¯ori.