5. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (National—Rodney) Link to this
to the Minister of Immigration
Can he confirm that from 1 January 2003 to 30 September 2005, Taito Phillip Field made 438 representations to the Associate Minister of Immigration, not 261 as he claimed in his letter dated 31 July 2006?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) Link to this
Yes. As I stated yesterday the letter to the member was provided on the basis of advice that I undertook to check. Having done so, I can now confirm that the member’s understanding is correct.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
Would the Minister exercise ministerial discretion to grant a work visa to someone like Mr Sunan Siriwan, who had shown such contempt for New Zealand law as to be an illegal overstayer for 8 years; who had worked illegally during that time; who had been declined refugee status, after not even bothering to turn up at his interview; and whose case was described by an experienced immigration consultant as “hopeless” and which, his head of immigration in New Zealand has said, the department would have declined—a ministerial discretion Phillip Field urged in order to reunite Mr Siriwan with his child, with whom he was already living; if so, why?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
The facts of the case have been placed on record and have been debated many times in this House. I hope that in making a decision, I would be able to rely upon the representations made to me by all members.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
Would he exercise ministerial discretion to grant a work visa to someone like Ms Phanngarm, who had shown such contempt for New Zealand law as to be an illegal overstayer for 5 years, who was declined refugee status four times, whom the Refugee Status Board found to be “an entirely incredible witness”, and who had been deported from New Zealand and banned from returning for at least 5 years—a ministerial discretion urged by Phillip Field in order to reunite that person with her partner, when she was already living with her partner; if so, why?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
As I have said, Ministers must make decisions on the basis of the best information available to them at the time, and they are entitled to rely upon the information provided to them by members on all sides of the House.
Darren HughesIs he aware of any members of Parliament advocating for overstayers or illegal immigrants, such as Mr Craig Foss, who wanted overstayers to work in a vineyard in the Hawke’s Bay?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I am aware of requests for ministerial discretion from all sides of the House. I hope Mr Foss has not asked the Inland Revenue Department for a similar discretion.
Madam SPEAKERDr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
If the Minister asserts to this House, as he has done just now, that two of the 262 special directions made in response to those 438 submissions from Taito Phillip Field involved false information from Taito Phillip Field, how many of the other 260 special directions in response to Taito Phillip Field’s submissions also involved false information?
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
Would the Minister exercise ministerial discretion to grant a work permit to someone like Miss Ngaosri, who had shown such contempt for New Zealand law as to be an illegal overstayer for several years, whose application for a special direction had been turned down by his Associate Minister in 2001, and who had been declined refugee status in both 2002 and 2003—a ministerial discretion urged by Taito Phillip Field—if he would, why would this Minister do that?