12. Immigration—Policy Review and Migrant WorkersIAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Labour—Palmerston North) to the Minister of ImmigrationImmigration—Policy Review and Migrant Workers12. IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Labour—Palmerston North) to the Minister of Immigration: Why is Cabinet reviewing the number of Permanent Resident Visas it plans to issue given that he does not expect that review to result in any policy change?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Immigration): In response to the first part of the member's question from time to time the Government is required to review the residents programme planning range. Typically this takes place every 2 or 3 years. The second part of the member's question is quite incorrect. I have indicated that there are unlikely to be material changes to the quantum of the planning range but Cabinet also considers matters pertaining to for example the proportion to be allocated to the various residents streams.Iain Lees-Galloway: Will he commit to a wider review of immigration policy—Hon Steven Joyce: No.Hon Members: Ha ha!Iain Lees-Galloway: Oh! Steven Joyce seems to want to answer on the Minister's behalf. Mr SPEAKER: This question is to the Minister of Immigration.Iain Lees-Galloway: I am happy to ask Mr Joyce if he would prefer. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: We will have some order please. Iain Lees-Galloway if you want to ask your supplementary question get on with it.Iain Lees-Galloway: Will he commit to a wider review of immigration policy given the variety of concerns people have expressed about current immigration settings including the exploitation of foreign students the exploitation of migrant workers and the number of work visas being issued for jobs that Kiwis can do?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: The three examples the member gives in his question have nothing to do with the permanent residents planning range but I would say that the Government is constantly reviewing immigration settings in both the permanent and temporary spaces to ensure that they are fit for purpose. A big bang review which the member somehow thinks would be necessary—we are constantly refining policy.Iain Lees-Galloway: Why will he not carry out a review in light of the report issued by Caritas Aotearoa titled Stand up for what's right: supporting migrant workers given that that report details ongoing exploitation of migrant workers such as paying below the minimum wage failing to provide written employment agreements and failing to pay wages for work done?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: The fact that the second supplementary question also confuses permanent and temporary migration suggests that the member does not understand the policies himself. But in respect of the very serious concerns raised by Caritas I can assure the member and this House that both Immigration New Zealand and the labour inspectorate take any reports—however anecdotal—of migrant exploitation extremely seriously. That is why 2 years ago I asked them to work much more closely together and to create a more synergistic response and why this Government in Budget 2015 significantly increased the labour inspectorate's resources.Iain Lees-Galloway: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that we need migrants to fill low-skill low-wage jobs because a lot of Kiwis have a poor work ethic use drugs and do not have the skills to do the most basic of jobs; or does he think that Kiwis do not want to expose themselves to the kind of exploitation that migrant workers are experiencing?Mr SPEAKER: There are two supplementary questions there; the Minister can answer either.Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Both of those supplementary questions refer to temporary migration—a million miles away from the residents planning range question that was part of the primary question. But yes I do agree with the Prime Minister. There are significant barriers to employment for some young New Zealanders but we should not give up on them. We will remove those barriers one by one. This Government has done more than any previously to ensure that New Zealanders are at the front of the queue for those jobs but I reiterate in the strongly growing economy it is going to be necessary to call on the international labour market at least for the foreseeable future.Iain Lees-Galloway: Why does he not stop attacking the people who have been so badly let down by this Government and admit that National's abuse of the immigration system is keeping wages down encourages poor employment practices and allows the exploitation of vulnerable migrants?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I suggest that member take those views out to the regions—to the Blenheims to the Te Pukes to the Invercargills and to the Christchurches and encourage them to have a serious conversation with business about what is really going on in this country.