8. Question No. 8—ImmigrationSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 8—Immigration8. STUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura) to the Minister of Immigration: Is he satisfied the border closure exceptions are responsive to the needs of businesses critical to our economic recovery?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Immigration): Yes. Fundamentally our border is one of our best defences against COVID-19. Our border restrictions are our best defence against COVID which keeps our economy open for business. This Government is taking a measured and cautious approach to opening the border. Overseas we're seeing the implications of opening up the border too quickly and this is a risk that this Government is not prepared to place on New Zealanders after sacrifices our people communities and economy have made. I'll be working closely with other Ministers to ensure we are effectively managing the flow of people into managed isolation and quarantine.Stuart Smith: What does he say to businesses such as Mainstream Engineering who can't commence projects because they are unable to get essential workers into New Zealand even though there are clearly no New Zealanders available for the roles?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Well I would advise them to apply an expression of interest under the critical worker scheme.Stuart Smith: What does he say to the director of Rebar Technology who said that the inability to get two skilled workers into New Zealand due to not getting exceptions to commence urgent work on a project has cost 10 jobs they had planned for Kiwis?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: There are challenging times for all businesses during this crisis. As I said our border restrictions are our main line of defence in ensuring that New Zealanders and our economy are safe. There are parameters and criteria now for critical workers. I'm sure the member is aware of those and I won't necessarily labour the House with that but it is also time for businesses who have traditionally relied on migrant workers to look at other ways including essentially training up New Zealand workers to make sure that they can meet their labour needs.Stuart Smith: How can he say that these exceptions are supporting long-term economic recovery when businesses can't get the workers they need to commence projects when no Kiwis are available?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Well there are tests within the process and criteria that all businesses that may have shortages have to meet in order to get critical workers into the country. There is a balance to be had about keeping our communities and our economy safe. Businesses must make sure that they extinguish all avenues to find New Zealand workers and there are criteria there for it. If they can't meet that then they have to potentially innovate and start training up people who may be out of jobs.Stuart Smith: Will he take responsibility for delaying projects and the jobs that will be lost due to businesses not being able to get critical workers into New Zealand?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: This Government will take responsibility for the actions that it's taken at the border to ensure that our communities are safe that our economy is back up and running. When you look at overseas economies that are still hit by the COVID virus there are criteria and the bar is very high because we need to keep the country and our communities and our economy safe. Those businesses know those criteria and they need to make sure that they can find New Zealand workers. If they can't then there is a process which they can go through.Hon Grant Robertson: Is the Minister aware of the calculation of the cost of the lockdown in Victoria amounting to around A$3 billion and how does he see that as a balance against calls to open borders up?Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I'm aware now that the member included that figure in the question but as I say the importance of keeping border restrictions tight and balancing that with ensuring that if there is critical work to be done there is a pathway for people to come into New Zealand is extremely important. Again if you look around the world and see the economies that are struggling to deal with COVID and you look at New Zealand's experience in terms of being able to manage it we are in a very good position and we need to protect that.