Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:607;Page:4197] 
7.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: How many of the 2.045 million people who entered New Zealand as visitors in the year ending December 2002 changed category after their arrival? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 In fact 1.341 million visitors permits were granted at the border in the year ended December 2002. Of these 16600 people were granted a student permit 11400 were granted a work permit and 8800 were granted a residence permit following their visitor’s permit. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Given that Statistics New Zealand gives the figures as being 2.045 million—and she has lost 1 million already—and given that the total sum of the other three categories does not amount to the number who are engaged in this country is that part of the new-wave immigration she has talked about— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Third wave! 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: —no it is called new-wave immigration—in a series of five lectures one of which was scheduled for Thursday 13 March at the Durham Street Methodist Church in Christchurch advertised in this huge advertisement here and how many people came along to this telephone-booth audience? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: The Methodist Church in Christchurch is running a series of Lenten discussions and I was invited to contribute to that. I did not do a head count but there were at least 50 people in the audience at the church on the afternoon. I am sure the member knows full well what the inside of a church looks like. I know that the member has treated flippantly the suggestion of my colleague the Minister of Statistics about how these figures work but that 2 million figure includes New Zealanders who live overseas and Australians. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: Has it been official for New Zealand that visitors can apply to become workers students or residents without being required to leave the country and apply off shore? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: Yes it is. People who have visited New Zealand before deciding to apply to study here take skilled employment here or live here permanently are in an excellent position to make an informed decision about whether it would be the right choice for them. Settlement outcomes for new permanent residents are enhanced if they are already engaged in the New Zealand education system or labour market. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: What are the resourcing implications for the Immigration Service if a significant proportion of the growing numbers of people entering New Zealand as visitors apply to have a change of status once they have come here and what is the Minister doing to address those resourcing issues? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: They have always been able to change their status in New Zealand. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Firstly why on earth would 700000 New Zealanders coming back to this country be described as visitors and secondly where do those 36200 whom she referred to in those three categories appear in the statistics? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: I seriously wish that that member would take up the offer given in terms of a briefing on these statistics. I will quote from them yet again: “In the preparation of migration statistics the classification of each passenger is primarily determined by the passenger’s response on the arrival or departure card to the question on intended or actual length of stay or absence. If the person’s intention changes later during a trip then they may also change their migrant category.” And the warning: “Data users should recognise the limitations inherent in the information supplied by travellers.” 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I again ask the Minister where in the statistics do those three categories amounting to 36200 actually appear at the end of the year—that is what we are asking? 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: As the Minister of Immigration I am not responsible for the collation of Statistics New Zealand’s external migration statistics which are released every year. As I try to explain to the member week in week out I have never come across an individual who cannot comprehend that these statistics are different from the immigration permit statistics. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With the greatest of respect I think you should stop the Minister and put her out of her misery if she cannot answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is just a political point. It has nothing to do with this.