Newman Muriel: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Newman Muriel: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:619;Page:14525] 
7.  
Dr MURIEL NEWMAN (Deputy Leader—ACT) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: What concerns if any has he had about how visas have been granted by immigration officials overseas and what if anything has he done about it? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 From time to time there are issues raised about how visas are granted by immigration officials overseas. In 2003 the State Services Commission and the Department of Labour commissioned KPMG to review the Immigration Service’s processes for internal investigations. The majority of recommendations arising from the review were implemented by 27 February this year. These include a new integrity policy improved investigation processes increased investigation capability and code of conduct training for all staff. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Has the Immigration Service been notified by the police of any scams illegally bringing Pakistanis into New Zealand through Tonga; if not will he ensure that his service immediately checks with the police and advises him of the result? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I understand there have been a couple of people who were granted visas via Tonga. I am not aware however of an allegation about a scam. If the member has some information that she should give me and she does so I assure her I will follow it up. 
Rodney Hide 
: Will the Minister ask his service about the police investigation that reported that for $15000 Pakistani nationals could buy a visa to come to New Zealand via Tonga and that a ring has been operating in New Zealand to that effect; and will he assure members that once he has done that he will explain to the House what he finds out? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I am aware that the member has asked a number of written questions around this matter and I am in the process of providing the information back. No allegation such as the member has outlined has been brought to my attention. If he has information or if the allegation is brought to my attention I will certainly make the information available. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: How many suspected cases of fraud by New Zealand Immigration Service officials are being investigated given that departmental papers released in April this year stated “risk-management issues associated with fraud and staff integrity have also increased” and that 49 staff were investigated for fraud between 2001 and 2003? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I do not have the actual numbers but I think it is fair to say that the member knows that often allegations are made about inappropriate behaviour by staff and the rough percentage I have is that around 60 percent of those are not proven. Of course some people who make an application off shore and are not granted a visa then make an allegation about staff in order to get back at them. It is important that the process is robust and what I outlined is that we now have a system whereby internal investigations are robust. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I appreciate that the Minister has given information and addressed the question but I wonder whether he would undertake to provide to the House the actual material that was asked for which was the number ofcases of suspected fraud. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is another supplementary question; it is not a point of order. But I will allow the Minister to comment. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: If I could clarify is the member after the number for this financial year? 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: That is correct. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I will provide that number to the member. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why is the Minister asking Opposition members to provide evidence when his department has been riddled with fraud and corruption over many years with numerous cases from as far back as 1996 when an inquiry into Bangladeshi immigration found that hundreds had falsified their academic records which was proved by the fact that the age of the qualification did not reconcile with the science of the paper on which it was produced; will he produce that in this House and ensure that the country knows what is going on in his department and how long it has been going on? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I note that the time the member talks about is probably pretty close to when he himself was Treasurer and I wonder why he did not do anything about it. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am not interested in entertaining this Minister’s foolishness. The fact is I have asked him a question about a full-scale inquiry conducted by the then National Government that was then dropped like a hot scone when it found that its allegations were baseless and that worse still the department was riddled with corruption. It was before the 1996 election. Could he get on with answering the question properly? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Would the Minister now answer the question. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I reject the member’s allegation that the department is riddled with fraud.