3. Question No. 3—ImmigrationRICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 3—Immigration3. RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister of Immigration: Has he seen the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities report's concerns and recommendations regarding the acceptable standards of health requirements; if so has he requested any advice on this report?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Immigration): Yes I'm aware that the UN committee has made observations about New Zealand's progress in realising disability rights including three observations in the immigration area. Officials will soon be providing me with full advice on these issues. I understand that my colleague the Minister for Disability Issues has agreed a cross-agency process to respond to all of the recommendations and my immigration officials will be providing a formal response to this. All recommendations will be considered early next year. More broadly I note that an Immigration New Zealand working group has been considering the acceptable standard of health requirements and that a number of changes have been made recently including increasing the significant-cost health threshold from $41000 to $81000 over five years removing HIV from the list of medical conditions considered to impose significant costs and/or demands on New Zealand's health or education services and updating the list of countries considered to have a low incidence of TB to include an additional 85 countries that no longer pose a significant risk. Proving an individual has an acceptable standard of health is necessary for several reasons but is primarily required to ensure they will not impose significant costs or demand on health disability or education services during their time in New Zealand. It's a challenging balance.Ricardo Menéndez March: What is his response to Jonny Wilkinson CEO of Tiaho Trust - Disability A Matter of Perception who wrote on the Northern Advocate on 8 October: It's not really the dollar figure that perturbs the disability community it's the principle of the matter. It says to New Zealand and to the rest of the world that disabled people are not wanted and are a burden"?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: What I would say to the gentleman in question is that disabled people right across New Zealand society are valued and make a significant contribution. In respect of the immigration system New Zealand—like every other country—will make reasonable and balanced decisions about how it manages its borders. We do have to be fair for everyone: those people who wish to apply to come to New Zealand and New Zealand taxpayers more broadly.Ricardo Menéndez March: Does the Minister support the committee's recommendation that New Zealand reviews and amends its immigration and asylum legislation and rules "that persons with disabilities do not face discrimination in any of the formalities and procedures relating to immigration and asylum in particular as a result of the application of the acceptable standards of health requirements"; if not why not?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: As I said in my primary answer we will be giving full consideration to the observations and recommendations of the UN committee and responding in due course.Ricardo Menéndez March: Is the Minister confident that disabled convention refugees and asylum seekers aren't being subjected to the acceptable standards of health policy?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In respect of asylum seekers and refugee claimants as far as I'm aware we are compliant with all of our obligations in respect of those people.Ricardo Menéndez March: How many if any disabled people were consulted as part of the recent changes to the threshold for determining if a condition will create a significant cost to the health system?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I think the member in the House would appreciate I don't have that particular number to hand but I'm very happy to provide it to the member. I do know that there was engagement with relevant sector groups about that policy before it was decided.Ricardo Menéndez March: Does the Minister believe that disabled people should be part of the review of the acceptable standards of health requirements; and if so what steps is he taking to ensure that disabled people are participating in the process?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: We do have further work that is going into consideration of policies around the acceptable standard of health. It is my expectation that we would consult with the disabled community as a part of that work and that is something that I will ensure that officials do."