Fear of outsiders is apparently a natural response.
But New Zealanders have been tolerant of foreign investment here for a long time. It came when we were a colony, and the benefits have long been obvious.
Most people seem to understand we could not have our standard of living and local services without it.
We need outside capital to build our base infrastructure. We need the skills, technology, and funding to build an economy that can compete in a globalised world.
One quick look at closed economies around the world is an instant validation for accepting foreign investment.
But that does not ease the fears. They are under the radar (except for a vocal strident minority) unless the foreigners bring their resources and ownership with a 'foreign culture', and then they bubble more vigorously. We even have a political party that trades on these fears.
Since 2001 when our total capital stock was NZ$326 bln and foreigners owned NZ$172 bln, foreign investment in New Zealand has surged by +$214 bln to an impressive $386 bln.
The absolute dollar amount of this high growth, by itself, is a worry for some. And it is a growth from when it represented 52.9% of all the country's assets.
Since then we have seen the rise of China and their aggressive acquisitiveness. They are 'buying up everything', or so it might seem.
But it is really true? All this needs to be put in the context of the overall growth of our economy and our overall capital stock.
The facts are far less worrisome.
Here is the data: