Smith Lockwood: Immigration Amendment Bill — Instructions to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
Smith Lockwood: Immigration Amendment Bill — Instructions to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
[Volume:611;Page:8276] 
Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (NZ National—Rodney) 
: 
 Part 1 of this bill consists of just two clauses with the first being the commencement clause. There is nothing unusual about the wording in that clause although it might be useful to amend it so that instead of the bill coming into force on the day after the date on which it receives the royal assent it could come into force 3 years after the date on which it receives the royal assent because that would enable a future Government to amend this before it embarrasses our country. 
The main aspect of Part 1 is obviously clause 3 “Objects of Act”. It is fascinating to look at what is spelt out in clause 3. Paragraph (a) states: “establish a legislative framework”—and there is nothing wrong with that—“particularly in respect of Government residence policy where New Zealand’s interests are paramount as opposed to the present entitlement model;”. It will not be immediately clear to people as to what that means. We can maybe get some insight into what that means from associated legislation such as the Immigration Amendment Bill (No 2) which was passed by this Government not so long ago. In managing our immigration policies in this country that legislation lapsed the applications of some thousands of applicants for residence. Do members know what the one overwhelming characteristic was of those applicants whose applications were lapsed? They were all people who had largely met the points requirements. They were educated and they had employment prospects in this country. The one characteristic that was common to most of the people whose applications were lapsed is that they were from India. 
 That gives us some hint of what this Government is about. It talks about putting New Zealand first. Clause 3 states that New Zealand’s interests are paramount as distinct from an entitlement model. What we have seen so far from this Government is that its notion of“New Zealand’s interests” seems to discriminate against people such as those from India because largely it was people from India who had their applications lapsed. It concerns the Opposition that the objectives spelt out in clause 3 provide for a system that can discriminate. 
When the Minister spoke a moment ago she said the problem with the entitlement model—as she refers to it—is that it enables people who are not appropriately qualified to come to New Zealand. The answer to that problem is to change the rules. The rules should be transparent. The points system should be changed. More points should be given for the kinds of skills that are needed in New Zealand. We do not need to put in place an opaque—potentially corrupt—system to get the kinds of persons we want as successful immigrants. We should change the points system. We should give more points to people who have job offers or to people who have the kinds of skills that New Zealand needs. But clause 3 which spells out the objects of the Act establishes a two-tier system that enables the Minister to discriminate. There is no need for it. We can achieve the outcome being sought. I accept that the outcome being sought—to better match immigrant skills with New Zealand’s requirements—is a perfectly fine one but we do not need the two-tier system spelt out in clause 3 to achieve that. 
We would achieve that outcome much more simply if we made changes to the points system. Points should be awarded in such a way that there is a clear entitlement system and the entitlement should be based on skills that better match New Zealand’s requirements. There is no need to run the risks. In terms of clause 3(c) how on earth will the Government decide the labour market requirements and the detail necessary to make this system work? The Minister should explain to us how clause 3(c) would work. How will the Government select and actively recruit migrants? That is a huge change from the current system.