Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (Chairperson of the Petitions Committee): I so move That the House take note of the interim report of the Petitions Committee related to COVID-19 immigration and border policies. It is a wonderful opportunity for myself as the chair of the Petitions Committee to introduce the work we have been doing which has led to this debate in the House today. In so doing I wish to acknowledge and welcome those many people in the gallery today who are caught in an immigration system which seems not to meet their needs.Today I want to first of all introduce our work the petitions but to focus as will my colleagues on the human cost of this Government's policies on individuals their families and their whānau not only for those here in New Zealand but for those who are overseas and where families find themselves due to this Government's policies far far away from their loved ones and with no apparent end in sight for that separation. Before I outline as the chair the petitions which are contained in our report to the House I just want to give a very brief anecdote of a family member of mine who was—in my wider family—separated from her new husband who was caught in the United Kingdom in England. My family member was here in New Zealand and for eight months she was literally heartbroken because they had just got married a few months before heartbroken because there was no way to bring her husband to join her in New Zealand even though he had the required entitlement and eligibility. So how must it be all these months later for the many many people both here in New Zealand and overseas who are still waiting for some movement some recognition through our immigration system of their personal circumstances. I want to acknowledge those people—not only those who petitioned our committee but also those who are here today and wider in New Zealand and across the globe who are waiting for this Government to act. The Petitions Committee received such a number of petitions from people individuals who were stuck in the immigration system that it occurred to my colleague Tim van de Molen that there would be an opportunity for the Petitions Committee to write to the Business Committee of Parliament and request a special debate. So I want to acknowledge Tim van de Molen for his foresight and his acknowledgment of the human pain that was occurring around New Zealand and wider and for seeking a remedy that just moved this issue forward a little bit for those people. If we can do that for those people for those people in the gallery if we can do that through this debate if we can move things along just a little bit then I think that will be something that we would be very pleased to do. As chair of the committee I'm going to run through those 12 initial petitions and the people behind them. There are more but I will confine myself and just give a little flavour of the circumstances. The first category I want to touch on are families who are affected by the border closure. We heard from four petitioners who want—sorry I might just go through my notes and start there—to be able to come to New Zealand to be reunited with their families. These people include temporary visa holders their families and family members of New Zealanders.Natasha James came to work in New Zealand in January 2020 as a critical health worker but her partner and children are still overseas. Xiaosong Lan has a similar request in his petition. He wants the Government to grant border exemptions and managed isolation and quarantine spaces to all overseas partners of New Zealand citizens resident and temporary visa holders. Polina Chernyshova's petition—and I do apologise if I'm not getting the pronunciation of all these names correct today; I am sorry—says and I quote being separated from our families is affecting our mental health efficiency and ability to focus on the research the critical research we are undertaking." Marianna Tomarelli's petition says "it is harder for families in non-visa-waiver countries to gain entry to New Zealand." and she submits to us "that the entry process should be the same from both types of country."We have petitions from workers and students who are currently overseas—seven petitions. Tincy Mary Philip is really "frustrated that the border is closed to students who were granted study visas before entry restrictions began" and she "describes their financial and mental health problems as a result of not being allowed to enter." We can see a theme coming through here. Nandita Alexander her husband and their toddler "were living and working in New Zealand but got stranded overseas while visiting relatives at the start of the lockdown." and they just want to come back. Yu Ting Mak seeks to "extend the exemptions to all migrants who still have work in New Zealand." Mandeep Singh asks that the following people be allowed entry into New Zealand: "people with work or study visas who had been living long-term in New Zealand … offshore partners who were issued a visa to join their partner in New Zealand before the borders [were] closed." Julie South is very concerned about a shortage of veterinarians and I read in the media that there is now a critical shortage of veterinarians which is applying considerable pressure on those vets who are working in New Zealand. Belen Macchiavello asks "that the Government allow migrants with current New Zealand visas who are stuck offshore to re-enter New Zealand."And then we had requests to extend the work visas of people already in New Zealand. Marie Louisa Bock simply wants "a plan for what will happen when working holiday visas expire at the end of June [this year]." Cait Guyette requests "temporary flexibility of visa conditions for wine industry workers so that there will be enough staff for the 2021 vintage." I do hope now that the vintage is complete that there are enough workers to get on with the thinning which is now under way. Carlos Madureira is "frustrated that the Government has paused its processing of expressions of interest for the Skilled Migrant Category". And Artur Khasanov is frustrated about the length of time—simply the length of time—taken by Immigration New Zealand "to process Skilled Migrant Category residence applications." He simply wants a decision.These people simply want a decision from Immigration New Zealand from this Government so that they can move on with their lives. Thank you for the opportunity to speak."