3. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (National—Rodney) Link to this
to the Minister of Immigration
Does he stand by his statement on Tuesday, 12 September that he has reviewed the immigration matters covered in the Ingram report?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) Link to this
Yes. As I said then, a number of immigration matters are covered in the Ingram report, which I have read on a number of occasions.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
When reviewing the immigration matters covered in the Ingram report, what information did he find had been provided to the Ingram inquiry by Ross Robertson MP regarding the involvement of Taito Phillip Field with Thai national Mr Sunan Siriwan in Samoa?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
I would prefer to take that question on notice and reply to the member when I have checked the report further.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
If the Minister had, in fact, reviewed the immigration matters, what steps has he taken to ascertain why Ross Robertson MP did not volunteer information to the Ingram inquiry, yet in August 2006 he freely offered information to the New Zealand Herald that he had socialised with both Taito Phillip Field and Mr Siriwan in Samoa in March 2005, and that he had the impression Mr Siriwan was working for Mr Field?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
It has been previously traversed in this House that a number of MPs briefly visited Mr Field’s home in Samoa and saw several Thai immigrants, but did not have extensive conversations with them and were not briefed on their immigration status.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
When reviewing the immigration matters involved, what steps did he take to ascertain why Ross Robertson MP withheld information from the Ingram inquiry on Taito Phillip Field’s involvement with Mr Siriwan in Samoa, given that after confirming to the New Zealand Herald that he had the impression Mr Siriwan was working for Mr Taito Phillip Field in March 2005, Mr Robertson refused to deny that Taito Phillip Field told him that Mr Siriwan was working for him?
Madam SPEAKERBefore the Minister replies, I just note that the Minister is responsible for immigration matters, but he is not responsible for the procedures and the taking of evidence in the inquiry. But I ask the Minister to address the question.
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Further to your point, I am responsible for neither the conduct of the Ingram inquiry nor the conduct of Ross Robertson MP—not that I have any doubts as to his integrity.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
If the Minister has read the Ingram report several times, as he has told this House, can he confirm that Taito Phillip Field denied there was any arrangement for Mr Siriwan to work on his house in Samoa, as reported in paragraph 77 of the Ingram report, and that Mr Field’s evidence to the Ingram inquiry, as recorded in paragraph 115, was that he was unaware of any financial support given to Mr Siriwan, until June 2005, and that Ross Robertson MP held that information—which was materially relevant to the truth of Mr Field’s representations—yet refused to volunteer it to the Ingram inquiry?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
It is a longstanding convention that there is no such thing as proof by repeated assertion. Mr Robertson’s actions are not the responsibility of the Minister of Immigration, nor is the conduct of the Ingram inquiry.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What does it say about the administration of the immigration portfolio under Labour, when the Associate Minister’s private secretary makes four conflicting statements to the Ingram inquiry as to whether the Associate Minister knew of Taito Phillip Field’s involvement with Thai nationals in Samoa, prior to making his decision on their cases, and that a senior Labour member of Parliament refused to volunteer information he held to that same inquiry?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Clearly, members of this House are as bored with the member’s repeated questions—
That is not the point. Would the Minister please be seated. Would the Minister please address the question. I thought I had made it clear that answers and questions should be given directly, without these asides.
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Madam Speaker, my apologies for the previous comment, which I withdraw.
Dr Wayne MappI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I would have thought that a remark like that should be both withdrawn and apologised for.
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
If it assists progress of the House, in the previous sentence I both apologised and withdrew but the member may not have been listening. As we have already established, Mr Ross Robertson is not the responsibility of the Minister of Immigration. The administration of the department, it has already been established, could have been improved, in the sense that information should have been provided in a demonstrable way to the then Associate Minister, which it was not.