The area of rural land sold to foreigners has increased from 41,900 hectares in 1991 to 86,000 in 1996. The Asian countries come a long way behind the others. TNC profits can truly be called New Zealand's biggest invisible export and have a major deletrious effect on our balance of payments. Foreign ownership does not guarantee more jobs. In fact, it quite often adds to unemployment.
Foreign ownership does nothing to improve New Zealand's foreign debt problem.
Ownership means political power. The finance markets constantly threaten to move their money out if policies are enacted that they disapprove of. Foreign control means recolonisation, but by company this time, not country. This is what it all means to ordinary New Zealanders - we are involuntary competitors in the race to the bottom.