Peters Winston: General Debates 
Peters Winston: General Debates 
[Volume:610;Page:7443] 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 “Mr Speaker I wish to advise you that in accordance with my statement on Television One network news last night I hereby resign my warrant as Minister of Immigration.” That is a quote from a letter that should have been on the Prime Minister’s desk first thing this morning. 
That letter should have read: “I wish to advise you that in accordance with my statement on Television One network news last night I hereby resign my warrant as Minister of Immigration. Ever since being appointed to that job I have struggled to grasp even the most basic understanding of immigration and population issues. Despite that I have carried out Labour’s immigration policies in a diligent manner. I have brought in hundreds of thousands of people from the Third World and poured them into Auckland where there are now serious social and physical problems. The Immigration Service which I am responsible for is run by senior officials who are either incompetent or corrupt or both. I have been unable to detect that even though I deal with them on a daily basis. 
“One of my most embarrassing moments was during the  
Assignment 
 television programme when I vehemently denied the existence of immigration fraud. You will recall how I looked—like a startled possum caught by a headlight—when the programme recounted and demonstrated a number of very serious fraud cases. 
“However you must give me credit for sticking to the Government line that all immigrants and asylum seekers are noble people and that the real problem is the racist attitude of New Zealand First. For the past 4 years I have denied every claim that New Zealand First and the Rt Hon Winston Peters have made despite considerable efforts to the contrary. I have repeatedly dodged ducked and dived away from every question raised in Parliament even though it was my responsibility to be accountable to the people of New Zealand. 
“However I have been finally caught out over the arrival in New Zealand of a suspected Algerian terrorist who is being kept here at the taxpayer’s expense—thus far well in excess of $60000. For some reason—I cannot explain it—an immigration official lied to the media about the suspected terrorist. That official was attending a Christmas party in my office at the time. Later I also rang the media but I cannot remember whether I told them the official was lying. Despite my best efforts in Parliament yesterday I failed to explain why the official claimed that ‘everybody had agreed to lie in unison’. Later in response to reporters’ questions I foolishly said that I would resign if there had been an agreement to lie. The actual quote was: ‘if there had been an agreement to lie yes I would have to resign.’ 
“This morning a story in the  
New Zealand Herald  
revealed that officials lied to the Ombudsman and now I am in donkey-deep. In Parliament this afternoon I tried to wriggle out of the mess I and my officials have created by making a personal statement to the House. Unfortunately New Zealand First was awake to my bluff and bravado denied me leave and I had to front up again in question time with the disastrous results you are again aware of. Prime Minister it is now obvious that I cannot continue as Minister of Immigration because of my shortcomings and those of my officials. I will clear out my desk immediately. Yours sincerely Lianne Dalziel Minister of Immigration until now.” 
I want to table that letter later on. I will seek leave and no doubt I will be given it. The letter is a model of latent honesty of abject confession and of the principle that I cannot quite remember which says that people rise to their own level of incompetence. 
Rodney Hide 
: The “Peters principle”. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: The “Peter principle”; it is singular I tell Mr Hide. Literacy was not one of his greatest talents was it? I seek leave to table that very very important letter. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table a letter. Is there any objection? There is.