Benson-Pope David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Benson-Pope David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6122] 
1. DAVID BENSON-POPE (NZ Labour—Dunedin South) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Has she followed up on the correspondence tabled in the House yesterday by Dail Jones who alleged the Minister turned a blind eye to fraudulent and improper activity? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 Yes I have. The individual concerned applied for residence on 5 August 1998. He had his qualifications approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority in May 1999 and was approved residence in November 1999 all of which occurred under a National-led Government. The application was under the policy that applied at the time when New Zealand First was a coalition partner. I stand by the reply I gave yesterday. 
David Benson-Pope 
: What changes have occurred since she became Minister of Immigration that would reduce the likelihood of this occurring today? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: I am advised that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority has increased the rigour of its evaluation. Changes made since I became the Minister together with the increased pass mark mean that the majority of the general skills applicants today have a job offer that is relevant to their qualifications or experience. The individual approved under the previous Government’s policy had no job offer at all. 
Dail Jones 
: Given the information that has now been made available to the Minister what action will she take now to review the evidence that has been made available to her by the writer of the correspondence an employer that the immigrant’s “knowledge of basic bookkeeping and accountancy was inferior to a 16-year-old employee who had dropped out of school without even NCEA” despite the so-called qualifications appearing to have a similar comparison to law and accountancy degrees from the University of Auckland; what will the Minister do to find out whether those qualifications allegedly approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority were fraudulent and what will the Minister do to act on that fraudulent information? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member has asked three questions. The first two may be answered. 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: Unlike the Opposition member I have had my office contact the writer of the letter. He advises me that he has not raised concerns with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority in respect of those particular qualifications. I remind the member that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority assessment was done in May 1999 and that there is not one jot of evidence to suggest any fraudulent or improper behaviour on the part of the individual. I think an apology is deserved. 
Dail Jones 
: That being one example that I gave the Minister yesterday and given her concern now for the dubious activity within the immigration system when will she advise the House of the outcomes of her following up of—and I quote and refer to—the Fernridge Institute of Training Ltd the Ukrainian dairy workers the Russian asylum-seeking waitress the dog farm at Waiuku the sale of New Zealand visas under a tree outside the office of the New Zealand Immigration Service at New Delhi the Cambodian family scam run from Johnsonville the Algerian terrorist marriages of convenience and false English-language system certifications to name a few? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That question was too long. The Minister may comment on the first two parts. 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: I regret to inform the House that I believe that in almost every single one of those cases I will find there is not one jot of substance to the complaint. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Can the Minister explain why she is trying to sheet home responsibility for an application received 7 days before the coalition with New Zealand First collapsed on 12 August 1998— 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: Ha ha! 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: —another nervous laugh as well—and secondly does she remember how embarrassed she was on the  
Assignment 
 programme when a series of allegations of fraudulent qualifications came before her she appeared on the programme to say she knew nothing of that and they instantly showed her how embarrassing it was whereupon she threw up her hands and said she would investigate it? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: I was making the point that the policy under which that individual applied existed when that member was the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. In respect of the allegations made on the  
Assignment 
 programme there has been a referral to the police and I have also raised the question of the person who used my personal letter which was the one I reacted to in horror with the Advertising Standards Complaints Board. An agreement has been reached that that breached the advertising standards in New Zealand.