12. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (National—Rodney) Link to this
to the Minister of Immigration
What information did the former Associate Minister of Immigration, Hon Damien O’Connor, possess about Taito Phillip Field’s involvement with failed refugee applicants prior to 17 June 2005?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) Link to this
I have addressed similar questions in the House on a number of previous occasions. I refer the member, for example, to my response on 13 September 2006.
Madam SPEAKERHon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
On 13 September 2006 I said, in response to a very similar question, that the director of service international attempted to contact the Associate Minister, but that it is not the case, according to the Ingram inquiry, that the information intended for the Associate Minister reached him.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What information did the then Minister of Immigration, the Hon Paul Swain, provide to Mr O’Connor about the serious concerns Mr Swain knew were held by senior management at Immigration New Zealand about the number and nature of immigration submissions made on behalf of failed refugees by Taito Phillip Field, prior to Mr O’Connor’s intervention in the case of failed refugees Siriwan and Phanngarm?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I am advised that the department holds no information on any information passed directly from the Minister to the Associate Minister at that time.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What information did the Hon Phil Goff provide to Mr O’Connor relating to his personal knowledge that failed refugee Sunan Siriwan was working on Taito Phillip Field’s house in Samoa, given that Mr Goff met and spoke to Mr Siriwan while Mr Siriwan was working on the floor of Mr Field’s house in Samoa in March 2005?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I am advised that the department holds no information on that matter.
Peter BrownIs the Minister able to confirm that the findings of the immigration review proposed the tightening up of immigration process, including the failed refugee problem, and can he also confirm that this is exactly what New Zealand First has been advocating for years?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I suspect that the question may be somewhat out of the scope of the primary question, but, certainly, the New Zealand First Party has been extremely helpful in regard to the Immigration Act review.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What information did Ross Robertson MP provide to Mr O’Connor relating to his personal knowledge that failed refugee Sunan Siriwan was working on Taito Phillip Field’s house in Samoa, given that not only did he see Mr Siriwan working on the floor of Mr Field’s house in March 2005 but also he socialised with both Mr Field and Mr Siriwan in Samoa at that time?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I am advised that the department holds no information in regard to that question, but that the matter was covered in the Ingram inquiry.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
How credible is it that two Cabinet Ministers, including the then Minister of Immigration, and a third Labour member of Parliament all possessed information about Taito Phillip Field’s involvement with failed refugees, yet not one of those four people passed on their information to the Associate Minister Damien O’Connor?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Although the Minister of Immigration has no ministerial responsibility for what members of this House might say to each other, I recall that those members have all provided evidence to the Ingram inquiry, which finds no substance to that member’s allegations.