Whilst the global recession has caused some countries to request temporary workers without work to go home or to severely slash the number of skills on immigration shortage lists, New Zealand has been less affected.

Andrew Annakin, head of Immigration New Zealand, said their policy towards skilled migration was “generally more moderate” than that of other countries. New Zealand was less affected than some other countries, allowing them to better control immigration to the country, minimising the “dramatic responses” to immigration that some nations have recently implemented.

Mr Annakin also said New Zealand’s 6 per cent unemployment rate was lower than in many OECD countries, where the average is 8 per cent.

He reiterated that New Zealand will always need skilled migration, and said that by allowing the “availability of unemployed New Zealanders and the reduction in employment to manage the flow of temporary work permits”, the country was able to ensure the skills base necessary for after the recession whilst managing employment levels and still allowing for skilled migration. LF

However, some opposed to the idea criticised the suggestion as “political correctness of the worst kind”.

The New Zealand Geographic Board, the statutory body charged with gazetting placenames, said it stumbled on the anomaly after a member of the public proposed changing the name of South Island to Te Wai Pounamu, the Maori alternative.

The Maori name means “place of greenstone” after the island’s outcrops of jade, from which tribes traditionally crafted weapons and jewellery.

Maori know North Island as Te Ika a Maui or “the fish of Maui”, based on a legend about how the god Maui hauled the island up from the sea while fishing.

“The English names North and South Island are not official,” said Don Grant, the board’s chairman.

If you are heading to NZ and need travel cover then look out for travel insurance over 75 for deals.

We have moved onto a blog platform and hope to bring you all the latest news and views about travel to the land of the long white cloud!