Muller Todd: Immigration Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMuller Todd: Immigration Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:3108. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty):Firstly I would like to acknowledge the passing of Monte Ōhia from Ngāti Pūkenga. He was a man of much mana and a highly respected kaumātua and his loss will be felt by many in my electorate Tauranga Moana and Welcome Bay. Okioki i roto i te rangimārie.I am very pleased to add my voice to the support on this side for this sensible bill in its third reading this evening. Any efforts to ensure that the immigration regime operates effectively should be encouraged because immigration is absolutely critical for this country. It helps build a strong economy creates jobs by encouraging innovation deepens our links with the international community and provides skills and capital for growth. I have been absolutely astounded to sit here and listen to the drivel that has come across from the other side of the House from New Zealand First members. Their vision for isolation is pathetic. They have a view that we should be an isolated island. Well let me tell you that an isolated island is a poor island. An isolated island is poor economically poor in spirit and poor in ideas. It echoes its own prejudice and you are all a great example of that. It is appalling. To listen to what you have said makes me wonder Mr Mitchell just what planet you are on to quote your words back to you.Immigration is a very very critical part of the Bay of Plenty economy which I Todd McClay and Simon Bridges effectively represent. The Bay of Plenty is the kiwifruit capital of the world. You will be aware that it has suffered from Psa. It is recovering and the kiwifruit industry has said very clearly that over the next 3 years it needs another 4000 jobs—4000 more jobs. Of course New Zealanders will be a key part of that but so will migrant workers. [Interruption] Mr Mitchell could you please get out of your isolationist bubble and go and have a chat to a kiwifruit orchardist? Go and have a chat to a kiwifruit pack house. Have a chat and listen to what they say. They say: “We need more workers. We need New Zealanders and we need migrants who can fill the gap.” That is why this country and this Government are heading in the right direction with this party. The more you outline that view the more you will disconnect yourself—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Order!TODD MULLER: I am sorry Mr Assistant Speaker. Mr Mitchell you get the point.Tim Macindoe: The member. You meant the member.TODD MULLER: I did mean the member. Turning back to the specifics in respect of this bill it is very very good to see that there is provision in it for significant consequences for exploitation. I mean the specifics that have been outlined have been worked through by the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee in terms of jail sentences for up to 7 years and fines not exceeding $100000. I mean these are material consequences for those who are proven to be exploiting migrant workers—who are here legally. The migrant workers are doing everything right they are following all the right processes and they must have the same protections under law from exploitation. So this is a very very good piece of legislation because it sends the right message to employers around the expectations we hold of them to do the right thing for their community and their employees in particular.I am very pleased to see the specific provisions in respect of deportation particularly around those exploitative employers who have themselves come into this country in the last 10 years and been given residential status. I think that the fact that they can potentially be deported will be another very strong and powerful message to do the right thing. It is natural for migrants who come to this country to then at times look for those who can join them from where they have come from to be part of their own workforce but of course they need to follow at all times the expectations we have of all employers to be good employers. If they are not then of course they need to be exposed to the consequences that are outlined in this particular piece of legislation. Exploitation is not right and the equity issues where we have seen those law-abiding employers who are doing the right thing being potentially undercut are not right.We have heard some great examples of some of the differences this bill will make particularly from the various submissions that have come in. I think that the biometric information provisions are good—a great blend of cutting-edge technology to assist us in delivering the right policy and getting information to enable us to protect our borders and our people more effectively into the future.To conclude I would like to acknowledge the Minister of Immigration Michael Woodhouse and of course the members of the select committee and its chair Jonathan Young who have worked through this legislation. I am very sure that at the end of this process we will have a better framework to protect our migrants and workers in this country. Thank you.