Smith Lockwood: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Lockwood: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:628;Page:480] 
8.  
Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (National—Rodney) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Has his department provided a briefing to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Government immigration policy; if so when? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 Not to my knowledge. My department works closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However the Minister is briefed by his own officials. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Is the Minister concerned then about reports that his colleague the Rt Hon Winston Peters is likely to lead a major debate on immigration at the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting in Malta today; if not why not? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Any questions about the statements made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs should be directed to that Minister. 
H V Ross Robertson 
: What communication is there between his staff and the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Department of Labour immigration officials have close working relationships with their Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade colleagues in New Zealand and offshore. They share information and work together on matters of joint interest. These include free trade security and the facilitation of genuine travellers to New Zealand. In some parts of the world Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade posts issue temporary visas. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Is the Minister confident that Mr Peters will accurately reflect the immigration policies of the Government in light of Mr Peters’ frequent accusations of Labour’s ministerial incompetence and failures in the area of immigration and why has he taken no measures to ensure that Mr Peters does reflect Government policy? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I have no ministerial responsibility for that member’s past comments but I am confident in the whole-of-Government processes that underlie international meetings. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Can the Minister confirm that New Zealand First negotiated within the confidence and supply agreement a provision to review all of our immigration laws with a view to fixing up what the previous Minister of Immigration Paul Swain described as a dog’s breakfast? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I can confirm that in part because of discussions with New Zealand First but in part because of our own views a comprehensive review of the Immigration Act is under way and I will be releasing a discussion document to that effect shortly. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: If as has just been revealed by the New Zealand First member the Minister of Foreign Affairs considers our immigration policies to be a dog’s breakfast what— 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I just want to take the opportunity to point out that it was Paul Swain the previous Minister of Immigration whom I referred to as saying that the laws were a dog’s breakfast. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. That is not a point of order; it is a point of information. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Has the Minister taken the trouble to seek any assurances at all from Mr Peters that he will accurately reflect the Government’s immigration policies given the New Zealand First support agreement that requires Mr Peters to support Government policy only in his ministerial portfolio of foreign affairs and does he now think that perhaps he should have sought some assurance from Mr Peters? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I repeat that I have confidence in the whole-of-Government processes that underlie international meetings and as is my usual practice I will continue conversations with my colleague the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Has the Minister taken the trouble to advise Mr Peters that repeating his publicly stated view that Asian immigrants are responsible for “theft fraud fighting assault intimidation vehicle crashes disorder domestic stabbings and a sideline of extortion and weapon-carrying” may not be helpful to New Zealand’s standing with Asian members of the Commonwealth; if not why not? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I repeat that I have no responsibility as a Minister for that member’s historical statements. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Does this new inexperienced Minister of Immigration take any responsibility for his portfolio at all or does he wipe his hands of what is going on in his portfolio area in Malta today? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Of course I take responsibility for the actions of my department and I am confident in the whole-of-Government processes that underlie international meetings. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I just ask you whether you have a view on how soon this Parliament should be acquainted with the complexities of the arrangements that the Government now has. We have had the Prime Minister making it very clear that Mr Peters and Mr Dunne have no responsibility for any Government action outside of their portfolio responsibilities. Now we have the junior Minister Mr Cunliffe standing up and saying that he is comfortable with the whole-of-Government approach which clearly encompasses Mr Peters representing issues other than his portfolio responsibilities in the international forum. 
We have a role—and while Michael Cullen might want to say that the constitution is evolving the role of the Opposition in scrutinising the Government is not going to change constitutionally—and we have to have clear and concise understandings of who is responsible for what in order to be able to discharge that duty. I suggest that the Speaker has a role in ensuring that Parliament knows what the Government arrangements are so that that scrutiny can take place. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for his comments. It is not for the Speaker to express a view on those matters. That was not a point of order but I thank the member for his contribution and perhaps we can now move on.