Smith Lockwood: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Lockwood: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:640;Page:10773] 
12.  
Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH (National—Rodney) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: What was the average time for the approval of applicants under the Talented (Accredited Employers) Work Policy in 2006-07? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 I am advised that the average processing time for the talented accredited employer work applications for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 was just 10 days. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Is it correct that the financial information required by Immigration New Zealand for applicants for accredited employer status is considered official information by Immigration New Zealand and will be released on request to trade unions unless the applicant can prove that to do so would unreasonably prejudice his or her commercial position? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: The member is well aware of the relevant provisions of the Official Information Act and of course commercial confidentiality is a reason established under the Act for the non-provision of such information. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: What steps is the Minister prepared to take to ensure that Immigration New Zealand does not need to pressure applicants for accredited employer status with letters that ask applicants to clarify exactly how the release of their confidential financial information would be likely to unreasonably prejudice their commercial position—what steps is he prepared to take to make sure that applicants are not pressured in that way by Immigration New Zealand? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Quite clearly the member concerned had the opportunity to refer to some specific information in his primary question and that would have allowed me the opportunity to prepare a considered response. I would be most willing to prepare such a response if he would like to send me the correspondence. 
Darien Fenton 
: Why does the Government run an employer accreditation scheme and what proportion of applications are approved? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: The employer accreditation scheme simplifies the process for employers recruiting talented workers. Under the talented worker policy once the employer is accredited then the process for the grant of work permits is vastly streamlined and the processing time is reduced. It is worth noting that in the last year the approval rate under that scheme was 98.3 percent of all applications. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Does the Minister consider it appropriate administration of a policy for which he is responsible for a Northern Distribution Union delegate to tell an applicant for the accredited employer status during collective employment negotiations that the union has the power to tick off or not tick off that employer’s application for an accredited employer status? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Unions quite properly have a role in representing the interests of their workers but it is certainly not true that unions have an automatic sign-off right on consultations around the accredited employment scheme. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Does the Minister consider it appropriate administration of a policy for which he is responsible for the Northern Distribution Union to be able to tell applicants for accredited employer status that the union is currently sitting on nine applications that will not get the tick off unless certain union demands are met; if he does not consider that appropriate what does he intend doing about it? [ 
Interruption 
] 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: It must have been a slow day for them to get excited about that. As I have said to the member already the union is not the decision maker in this case; the Immigration Service is. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting the subject matter of that question and the Minister’s answer will he give the House an assurance that prior to people from overseas coming into this country to work for an accredited employer there will have been a maximum search for an appropriate New Zealander to take the job? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: The member makes an excellent point. It has been a longstanding part of our immigration policy that jobs should be available for New Zealanders first and that New Zealanders should always have the opportunity to fill vacancies where they exist. But coming back to the other member’s previous point of course it is relevant that of all employer applications for accredited status over 98 percent are approved. So if the Northern Distribution Union is such a big bogey it is hard to see how that could be true. 
Peter Brown 
: Supplementary question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I do not think there are any more supplementary questions. I think we have expired the number that we are entitled to. 
Peter Brown 
: I haven’t expired yet Madam Speaker. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for making that obvious. 
Peter Brown 
: I appreciate your assurance Madam Speaker. Will the Minister give an assurance that before anybody comes into this country as an immigrant under this scheme it will be determined that he or she is of good health and good character? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I can only say that in the case of the member it is good to see that he is in rude good health and that rumours of his expiry were vastly exaggerated. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: I seek leave to table a recent letter from Immigration New Zealand to an applicant for accredited employer status. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.