1. PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) Link to this
to the Minister of Immigration
What are the general requirements for those seeking political asylum and refugee status in New Zealand?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) Link to this
Asylum seekers must be found to be refugees in accordance with the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
Has the Minister sought advice as to the legality and justification of the claims of one Mr Ahmed Zaoui for political asylum and refugee status, given recent developments in Algeria?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Inquiries will be made at an appropriate time nearer to the point of ministerial consideration.
H V Ross Robertson Link to this
What has the Government done to ensure the safety of New Zealand’s borders?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
The Government has passed the Transnational Organised Crime Act, introduced Advance Passenger Processing, established the immigration fraud and intelligence units, and established the immigration profiling group, amongst other measures.
Does the Minister consider that a politician from a nation that has a political amnesty in place, such as Algeria, which, as part of its Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, has an amnesty that has seen more than 2,000 political prisoners released—including the deputy leader of the claimant’s own party, one Ali Belhadj—should normally be considered for political asylum or refugee status?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
That would depend upon the individual circumstances of each case, and it would be inappropriate of me to prejudge it at this point.
Keith LockeIn the Minister’s deliberations on the Zaoui case, will he be taking on board the assessment of Robert Fisk on the radio this morning that Algeria is effectively a military dictatorship; that the recent amnesty was primarily to let off the security forces, which have killed and tortured thousands of Algerians; and that asking Mr Zaoui to go back would be like asking a Jew to go back to Germany if the Nazis had been left in power after the Second World War and all of the SS and the Gestapo had been given amnesty?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
At the appropriate time the Minister will take into account all relevant considerations.
Does the Minister not think that sufficient taxpayers’ dollars have already been devoted to the Zaoui claim, given that Mr Zaoui is the only person in New Zealand who has had convictions for terrorism and security-related offences in Western jurisdictions, and is claiming to be fleeing from a country that has an amnesty in place that sees his former comrades freely living in that nation; and will the Minister ensure that Mr Zaoui does not go past go, does not cost another $2 million, and does not appear on any more TV ads or music videos, but just goes home or somewhere else?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
It is evident that natural justice does on some occasions not come cheap. Many people have been surprised by the actual cost.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What is the status of the Cabinet paper due in March discussing options for managing the high demand for residence through family reunification, and what points has it raised with regard to refugees and their use of the scheme to bring in large extended families?
I seek leave to table my press release of 8 March, in which I offered willingly to drive Mr Zaoui to the airport if he agreed to leave this country.
Madam SPEAKERI seek leave to table a press cutting relating to Mr Brown’s point about music videos, stating that Ahmed Zaoui does have quite a good voice.