The face of Canterbury and Christchurch is getting colours, a positive outcome of the devastating Earthquakes, demonstrating the unshakeable belief that ‘good things come out of the bad.’
Christchurch will be snapping at Auckland’s heels as the most ethnically and culturally diverse city in New Zealand, when thousands of migrants arrive to be a part of the rebuild project, which will be in full swing in the next few months.
According to the Canterbury Employment and Skills Board, about 26,000 construction workers would be in Christchurch over the next 18 months, bringing with them more than 12,000 people to provide support services in restaurants, shops and other facilities.
Top contender
Massey University Professor Paul Spoonley said that Earthquake-torn Christchurch would leapfrog from one of New Zealand’s least ethnically diverse cities to a top contender of the title soon.
“The unparalleled influx of skilled migrants in construction would change the Garden city’s streets looking like Auckland. The people of Christchurch must understand that there would be very different faces on the streets soon,” he said.
Professor Spoonley, who has researched immigration and employment issues in New Zealand for the past three decades, believes that the size of the influx could lead to the third major immigration wave in the history of New Zealand.
Statistics New Zealand figures reveal that Auckland’s 1.5 million population is made up of 40% migrants, while only 20% of Christchurch residents are overseas-born (against the national average of 23%).
Paradigm shift
“Those figures will change. The proportion of ethnic groups in Christchurch will rise rapidly and transform the community significantly, Professor Spoonley said.
He raised concern over how Cantabrians would prepare themselves for the culture shock and how welcoming they would be, in a hitherto monoculture society.
“Christchurch would rebuild in a social sense as well. You need champions for the rebuild and worker recruitment and I think you will need champions for making Christchurch a welcoming city too,” he said.
While diversity adds colours to the face of the new Christchurch and Canterbury, it would inevitably bring challenges. The central and local governments must plan to cope with the changes.
The arrival of more migrants would significantly alter the political scenario.
We hope that it would be positive and creative for the city and its future.
Migrants are always skilled and contribute to the progress of New Zealand.
Dr George Abraham is our South Island Correspondent based in Christchurch
