Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:627;Page:21831] 
8.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Do immigration officials take into consideration future marriage arrangements when deciding whether to approve entry to New Zealand under any entry criteria? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 I am advised that Immigration Service policy takes into account future marriage arrangements when deciding who can come to New Zealand where that is relevant. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Is the Minister aware that members of the Somali community are complaining to immigration officials that their daughters have no one to marry as their tradition prevents them from marrying non-Muslims or even those from other Somali tribes; and does he believe that the Immigration Service should be accommodating the principles of discrimination social segregation and denial of intermarriage by way of allowing fellow Somali tribe members into New Zealand on those grounds? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: No and no. 
Tim Barnett 
: How has the Government demonstrated its commitment to improving border security? 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. That question had nothing to do with the primary question or my supplementary question. I am talking about criteria for the allowing of entry. I am not talking about matters of terrorism or danger to this country. I am talking about appropriateness which is a totally different matter. I therefore believe that the supplementary question should be ruled out. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I agree with the member. It was too broad given the specific nature of the primary question. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: Given that the Minister will not have had time to get detail on the question asked by Mr Peters I ask him whether he has yet received any reliable information or indeed any information at all to substantiate the claim made under parliamentary privilege by Mr Winston Peters that New Zealand citizen Omer Ali— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. [ 
Interruption 
] Quiet Robbie. Good boy. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: It is my point of order. Sit down. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Would the member please sit down. What is the point of order? 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: The member is raising a point of order that he knows is totally erroneous outside of the Standing Orders and not appropriate in respect of this question by way of a question in the House. He should not be allowed to do that. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Hon Matt Robson was not raising a point of order—he was actually asking a question. We will have the question. Then when we have heard the full question I will rule whether it is within the context. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. We know where the member’s question is going. He has a very simple mind—anybody can read it. The reality is that he will ask about other issues I have raised in the House that have no bearing on the appropriateness of allowing intermarriage exclusivity in a tribe and to no one outside the tribe. That is the issue that is being asked of the Minister. The member’s supplementary question is definitely outside the ambit of what I asked. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. He has reminded me on occasions that I am not psychic and to my knowledge no one in this House is psychic. I think we should allow the member to finish his question then we will be able to determine whether it is in the scope of the primary question. I have already ruled one supplementary question out but I want to give the member the courtesy of being able to finish his question. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: Madam Speaker do you wish me to begin from the beginning or just take up from where I was interrupted? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Please would the member give his question in full in the light of the comments that have been made. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: That New Zealand citizen Omer Ali had been a police chief under Saddam Hussein and that Mr— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I was right after all. The member intended to ask about two cases that have no connection to this issue whatsoever. Otherwise my next supplementary question would ask why the member became a hugger of paedophile Jim Peron when I raised the issue in the House. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. Yes the member’s question does not relate to future marriage arrangements. I am sorry. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The point I was making is that I am to finish the question that it is related and that that cannot possibly be judged until I give the whole question. As you said Mr Peters has many problems but being psychic is not one of them. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I have ruled on this. I am sorry. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Does the Minister believe that family reunification policies were designed to accommodate the denial of intermarriage and to promote social segregation; if so why? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: The criteria for family reunification are set down in policy. From what I can see there is no attempt to do the things that the member is accusing someone of. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: What will the Minister do to stop the multiplier effect whereby 50 refugees have brought in 334 family members who are themselves entitled to bring in more family members; and does it not concern him that his research shows that 80 percent of those people are still on a benefit after 5 years? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. We were talking about Mr Robson’s questions so how can one allow this question which has nothing to do with future marriage arrangements but which concerns those who are already family members. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: The Minister himself talked about family reunification and if supplementary questions cannot pick up on what the Minister said what is the point of them? Maybe that is what the Government would like. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Yes the member is right. The Minister will please address the question. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: The Government under its international obligations allows 750 refugees to come in per year. This is something that has been going on over many many years which was actually supported by the National - New Zealand First Government of 1996 to 1998. There is also a quota for people to achieve family reunification as well. One of the things that people recognise is that having family members here helps people to settle properly. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why of all things is the Minister now trying to include New Zealand First in his fiasco when he knows full well that the Tampa refugees did not come in under original UN recommendations at all but at the behest of himself and Helen Clark and therefore his so-called defence of his failed actions will not be successful by adding my name to it? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I never mentioned the Tampa refugees. That member did. I do know that in the period when that member was Treasurer 750 refugees were brought into the country each year so people will be starting to ask questions about why this is suddenly a big issue for the New Zealand First Party.