Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:645;Page:14741] 
8.  
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Does he have confidence in the appeals and removal processes of the New Zealand Immigration Service; if so why? 
Hon SHANE JONES (Associate Minister of Immigration) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Yes; the processes are robust and have been tested over time. 
Peter Brown 
: Why does the Minister have confidence in the Deportation Review Tribunal when it has allowed a Tongan man who had previously been deported and who then returned and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl to remain in New Zealand because his wife was “scared of the dark” and was easily sunburned; and can he tell the House how any system is feasible that allows that sort of carry on? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: I point out to the member that the decisions of such bodies are the decisions of independent statutory organisations. I encourage him to study the entirety of the decision which outlines some very sensible reasoning. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting that answer why does the Minister have confidence in the Refugee Status Appeal Authority which recently allowed an Iraqi whose Internet romance with a Kiwi woman was over so quickly that she would not even meet him at the airport on his arrival in this country to stay because he had claimed that his family would kill him for not marrying a first or second cousin; why does the Minister have confidence in such a system? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: Avoiding talking about amorous matters I repeat that the decisions of such bodies are the decisions of independent statutory organisations. From time to time such organisations which are a valuable part of the overall immigration system will deliver decisions that may not please all members of this House. However they do reflect an important role that independent organisations need to serve. 
Peter Brown 
: I do not think these decisions please many members of this House. Why does the Minister have confidence in the Deportation Review Tribunal which recently allowed a Samoan man to remain in New Zealand after he had chased his neighbour around his neighbourhood with a machete? He had also overstayed and had a list of prior convictions which included drink-driving and assaulting a man with a chair while drunk. How can the Minister have confidence in that system? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: Once again such decisions may not meet with the approval of the member—notions of waving machetes drunkenness etc. However the reality is that as long as we have independent organisations that are charged to receive submissions and hear pleadings they perform a valuable function. Admittedly some of their decisions do not please all members of the House. 
Peter Brown 
: Is the Minister aware that there was a massive drop in the number of people deported last year compared with the 3 years prior—the number dropped from an average of 1000 per year to 620 last year—and taking note of the examples that I have just outlined to him does he concur that they reflect a soft attitude in Government policy and in some of these independent organisations? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: The member has accurately reflected the figures; I would encourage him to see them as a reflection of the Government’s proactive stance in moving the borders out by identifying those types of people who do represent a danger and not allowing them into the country first time round. 
Peter Brown 
: I seek leave to table an article from today’s  
New Zealand Herald 
 on the decision to allow the Tongan man to stay— 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Peter Brown 
: I seek leave to table an article from today’s  
New Zealand Herald 
 on the decision to allow a Samoan man to stay despite multiple serious convictions. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Peter Brown 
: I seek leave to table an article from the  
Sunday News 
 on the decision to allow an Iraqi to stay despite his Internet romance falling apart. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Peter Brown 
: I seek leave to table answer to written question No. 1567 (2008) showing the decrease in deportations. 
Document not tabled.