NZ migration spurs biggest-ever population increase

New Zealand has had it's biggest ever annual population increase, with figures doubling on the previous year.

The population grew by 97,000 people in the year to June 30, making the total population approx 4.7 million.

New Zealanders returning home comprised a quarter of the influx, with India, China, the Philippines and the United Kingdom dominating the rest.

Statistics New Zealand says there are still more New Zealand citizens leaving, than arriving.

They also estimate that by the year 2021, 41% of New Zealanders will be of mixed ethnicity.

Some politicians have been questioning why New Zealand needs to bring in so many people, when there is a 5.7 percent unemployment rate.

New Zealand First deputy leader Ron Mark says the government has failed to train the many thousands of unemployed to fill the work force, which has led to an open door immigration policy.

"The government has to turn the tap off or down, but they've created a mess they have no way out of.

"You can't bring in more and more people and not accept you're going to generate more stress on infrastructure and more need for building," Mr Mark said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, lobbyists such as Ravindran Annamalai, president of the Wellington Multicultural council, are holding 'diversity conferences' to promote their view that the biggest issue for new migrants is the lack of voice within city councils across the country.