10. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (National—Rodney) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does she still maintain that the Ingram report was “very comprehensive and thorough”; if not, why not?
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What communication did the Prime Minister have with her then Minister of Immigration, the Hon Paul Swain, when she received the letter from whistleblower Keith Williams dated 3 August 2005 detailing Taito Phillip Field’s deal with failed asylum seeker Sunan Siriwan and stating that if Siriwan “went to Samoa for 3 months to tile Mr Field’s house”, he would be given a work permit after 3 months by the New Zealand Immigration Service?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
None. I understand that the letter was received and acknowledged by my office and sent on to the Minister of Immigration.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
What discussion, if any, did the Prime Minister have with Ministers Phil Goff and Paul Swain, when the letter written to her by whistleblower Keith Williams dated 3 August 2005 not only detailed the secret agreement between Taito Phillip Field and Sunan Siriwan but also pointed out that both her then Minister of Justice, Phil Goff, and then Minister of Immigration, Paul Swain, had met Siriwan while he was working on the floor at Taito Phillip Field’s house in Samoa?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I have advised the member that the letter was received in my office, acknowledged there, and sent on to the Minister.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
How does the Prime Minister reconcile her statement made to the House on 30 August this year that Dr Ingram did not raise with officials a request to provide legal advice for a key witness with the statement made by the head of her department, MaartenWevers, to the Finance and Expenditure Committee that not only had Dr Ingram made such an approach to see whether the Crown would pay legal costs for Mr Keith Williams, the original whistleblower on matters covered in the Ingram inquiry, but her department head also knew that Keith Williams would not give evidence without legal support?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
As the member is aware, Dr Ingram did not make that request to MaartenWevers. He sought advice from the Solicitor-General as to whether Mr Williams’ expenses could be covered, and the Solicitor-General advised that that was not normal practice.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
Has the Prime Minister made any attempt to discover why her former Minister of Immigration the Hon Paul Swain made—according to information released under the Official Information Act—absolutely no attempt whatsoever to discuss with his Associate Minister, Damien O’Connor, issues relating to Taito Phillip Field’s involvement with failed asylum seekers, after those issues were raised with the Hon Paul Swain on more than one occasion?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Frankly, I have not. This matter was inquired into thoroughly by Dr Ingram, and he found that the Ministers had acted properly.
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith Link to this
I seek leave to table a document, released under the Official Information Act, from the Minister of Immigration that points out that the former Minister of Immigration the Hon Paul Swain made no attempt—or at least there is no record whatsoever of his making any attempt—to communicate to his Associate Minister the issues he knew of surrounding Taito Phillip Field.
Madam SPEAKER