Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 17 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18525. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]4.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First)to the Minister of Immigration: Is he satisfied with the current immigration policy settings?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Immigration):Generally yes but I am constantly working to refine policy to ensure New Zealand is at the front of that global contest for skills and investment tourists and international students.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well if that is so is it fair on all other migrants that one country China is grossly overrepresented in the number of parent category migrants?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Well I do not accept that they are but I will go through with the member what I have already said in question time about the time lag between the bringing in of permanent residents and the subsequent applications for parent category visas for their parents. Chinese skilled migrants were rather more prominent under the previous Government which was supported by that member’s party and we are now seeing some coming in but I note also that this Government has removed the centre of gravity provisions that would have made Chinese parents more likely to gain residence under that category. It is a much fairer system.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I seek leave to table two sets of graphs compiled by the Parliamentary Library. One is to do with the year ended May 2014 and one is to do with the parent category pending for which applications are being processed. Both are from the Parliamentary Library.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table those particular graphs prepared for the member by the Parliamentary Library. Is there any objection to them being tabled? They can be.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Of the people granted residence in New Zealand as at the end of May 2014 why is one country China so overrepresented in the parent category and what is the Government doing about it?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I am sure I explained the reasons for that in my previous answer and I have nothing to add to it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If that was an explanation we should all believe why is it that the parent applications on hand category shows that one country China has more applications than all other countries put together?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: That may very well be the case—I have not seen the data—but what is of interest to me is not the applications but the acceptances.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why is the Minister and his Government encouraging one country to use New Zealand as a retirement home with all the benefits and superannuation and health care and infrastructural investment that New Zealanders work—[Interruption] Mr Speaker can I possibly hear myself—Mr SPEAKER: I can hear you quite—[Interruption] Order!Rt Hon Winston Peters: They’re all shouting at me here.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. The member has a right to have his question heard. I was actually having no trouble hearing it because of the loud way in which the member was delivering his question. If he could bring his question to a conclusion rather than making a statement I would be very grateful.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Thank you very much Mr Speaker for your help. It is always appreciated. Why is the Minister and the Government encouraging one country to use New Zealand as a retirement home with all the benefits that most New Zealanders work 40 or more years for and pay for in their taxes?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I reject the premise that one country is being favoured over another. I note that since that member’s party supported the previous Government the parent category approvals have dropped the centre of gravity provisions have been removed the sponsorship requirements have been increased the family income thresholds have been increased and I have a bill in the House that would extend the sponsorship period from 5 years to 10 years and that member’s party is not supporting it. So if he is serious about this he would support the Immigration Amendment Bill.