Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:623;Page:18799] 
10.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: What steps is he taking if any to ensure that our immigration laws are not exploited and what is his policy on removing non-genuine refugees? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 In 2003 the Government boosted the Immigration Service’s ability to manage immigration risk by $20 million over 4 years. All non-genuine refugees who are in New Zealand unlawfully are subject to removal. In 2003-04 667 non-genuine refugees were either removed or departed voluntarily from New Zealand. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Going by answers gleaned from the Minister’s office to two questions lodged on 1 February can he explain why he has allowed 700 refugees to arrive here who travelled on false passports who claim to have travelled on false passports or who have destroyed lost or otherwise misplaced their travel documentation; and how are any of them different from Ahmed Zaoui a suspected terrorist who has already cost the New Zealand taxpayer well over $1.1 million? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: Firstly the number of people who are arriving in New Zealand claiming refugee status has significantly declined since the late 1990s. That is a fact. Secondly they are different from Ahmed Zaoui because he is the only person in New Zealand who has been subject to a security risk certificate. 
Moana Mackey 
: What is the Government doing to protect New Zealand from illegal immigration? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: The Government has made considerable progress in improving New Zealand’s border security including introducing Advance Passenger Processing whereby checks are made before people board a plane. 
Shane Ardern 
: Does it work? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: Yes it does actually; the numbers have declined significantly. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Rubbish. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I will show the member the figures if he wants. The Government has also increased funding for fraud detection prosecution and intelligent analysis; and it has introduced tough provisions for those who are involved in people-smuggling. 
Keith Locke 
: How can it benefit New Zealand to deport Iranian asylum seeker Thomas Yadegary who is currently in Mount Eden Prison who has lived here for 12 years and contributed as a top chef and as a model citizen; why not keep him here rather than deport him to Iran where he could be persecuted for converting from Islam to Christianity? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I cannot comment specifically on that particular case. But I can say that a person who has been in New Zealand and appealed for for example refugee status has been declined has gone through all the channels and is in New Zealand unlawfully should go home—end of story. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Why is the Government allowing recent refugees to sponsor in up to a dozen of their family members each when many of the people who are sponsoring their family members simply cannot afford to support them in this country? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: For a start they are allowed to sponsor because that is part of the policy. But as I said before I am looking at this matter—[ 
Interruption 
] Well that is the reason why they can do it. I am looking at this matter because in many cases those people are unable to support their family members and the issue does need to be addressed. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: With respect to the Minister’s first answer if only 300 of the 700 people who have arrived here on false passports in the last 3 years have been approved for residency can he confirm that the other 400 have left New Zealand; if not why not? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: No I cannot but I will look into it.