8. PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) Link to this
to the Minister of Justice
What is the latest estimate of costs to the Legal Services Agency, Crown Law Office, and the Ministry of Justice relating to the Ahmed Zaoui case?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) Link to this
Some of these numbers do not lie within the ministerial responsibility of the Minister, but he has tried to obtain the figures for the member. In terms of legal aid to the end of June, the total was $483,744 in legal aid for Mr Zaoui. The Ministry of Justice also administers the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. For the year ended 30 June 2006, that office had incurred roughly $357,000 in costs relating to the case. The Minister is advised by the Attorney-General that Crown Law costs to date are $1.273 million. The Minister is also advised that the court costs total is somewhere around $252,000. That makes a grand total, roughly speaking, of about $2.4 million.
Noting those figures and that the review has been deferred, delayed, or postponed, has the Minister estimated what the likely final costs to those agencies will be, and has he any advice as to when the rescheduled hearing will take place?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
On the last point, I understand that the rescheduled hearing is likely to take place early next year. I have no estimate of the final cost, but it looks as though it would be at least enough to keep the Overlander running for another couple of years.
Keith LockeI seek leave to table a tabulation of the four sets of legal proceedings involving Ahmed Zaoui, all of which the Government has lost or has substantively lost, and has wasted over $2 million of taxpayers’ money on.
Madam SPEAKERI seek leave to table a tabulation of the sets of proceedings that the Government has won in the Ahmed Zaoui legal series. It is a paper with nothing on it.
I seek leave to table the Refugee Status Appeals Authority decision of 1 August 2003, which, if the Government had accepted and gone along with it, would have saved about $2 million of taxpayers’ money.
I seek leave to table a set of tax tables that show what Ahmed Zaoui would be paying in tax if he had been allowed his freedom and to take up a position in Islamic studies at a New Zealand university.
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I seek leave to table an equally blank document showing the costs that New Zealand would have incurred had Mr Zaoui returned to Algeria when the amnesty was declared.
I seek leave to table the Amnesty International report of last month that explains how people in detention in Algeria today are tortured by the security forces and the police.
Is the Minister aware of the assertions that the office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security is not adequately resourced; and can he, therefore, advise whether this issue will be taken care of, in order that in January next year, when the review is held, it will be fair, efficient, and as transparent as is possibly allowed, and, effectively, will make a final decision?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I am not aware of those claims. I am aware of claims from Mr Zaoui’s lawyers that delays are entirely the fault of the Crown. That those claims are disingenuous, to put it mildly, needs to be put on the record, I think.
Can the Minister give the House an assurance that the office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security will, in its review, take proper and detailed cognisance of the judgments made in France, Belgium, and Switzerland that impacted on Mr Zaoui?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
No, I cannot give that assurance, because how the inspector-general deals with the inquiry he is undertaking is entirely a matter for him. It would be quite inappropriate for me to make any comment in that respect.