Moroney Sue: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMoroney Sue: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 07 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3310. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.SUE MORONEY (Labour)to the Minister of Immigration: Does he agree with the statement made by the Hon Michael Woodhouse in Parliament last week with regard to Chinese engineers repairing KiwiRail trains that the Minister of Immigration “is very satisfied that the Chinese workers in this instance were on short-term visas and these were generally for no more than 3 months per year”?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Immigration):Yes I am satisfied that the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety articulated my advice to him accurately. However I have since been advised that some of these workers were provided as an exception to instructions a subsequent visa for another 90 days. I am comfortable with the original visas being granted.Hon Trevor Mallard: How many times?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Is that a supplementary question or would you like to hear the primary answer first? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am not putting up with that level of interjection. I want to hear the answer.Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I am comfortable with the original visas being granted but given that these visas are for projects of a very specific and temporary nature I have made it clear to my officials that they should not be granting any further subsequent visas for those in New Zealand unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.Sue Moroney: Is he aware that the New Zealand - China free-trade agreement stipulates that the duration stay of people doing this type of work shall not exceed 3 months; therefore how does he justify the decision that he has made?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I do not have the full details of the arrangements that the member specifies. I am quite happy to take advice on it. I am advised that special purpose visas are for that purpose and I have made my expectations very clear to immigration officials.Sue Moroney: Well in granting these visas as the Minister of Immigration is he aware that the New Zealand - China free-trade agreement stipulates that the granting of temporary employment visas does not replace the requirement to carry out an activity according to the specific laws and regulations in force in the country; and how does this reconcile with the views of the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Woodhouse that New Zealand’s employment laws probably do not apply to these very Chinese engineers whom he has granted these visas to?Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Michael Woodhouse—either of those two supplementary questions.Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I refer the member to my answer to her previous supplementary question.Sue Moroney: Is the Minister of Immigration who ought to know the rules under which he has—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Ask the question.Sue Moroney: Will he revoke the work visas of the Chinese engineers given that their employer is in breach of New Zealand laws requiring employers to provide wage and time records and that the workers in question have been here longer than allowed under the provision he granted them visas for?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I reject the prefacing statement in that comment that these workers were employed in breach of New Zealand employment laws. The labour inspectorate on its best advice did not find that to be the case.