Henare Tau: Immigration Bill — Third Reading 
Henare Tau: Immigration Bill — Third Reading 
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Hon TAU HENARE (National) 
: 
 What my cousin colleague and friend Hone Harawira failed to mention in the beginning of his speech was his 4 days in Hawaii. 
Hon Paula Bennett 
: Aloha! 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Aloha. The Immigration Bill takes all of the legislation that we had in the past with its mistakes its good things and its bad things and tries to come up with a new foundation for New Zealand’s immigration system. Essentially to me the foundation for New Zealand’s immigration system is the management of incoming new New Zealanders whether they are here to visit and might feel that they would like to become part of the country whether they are here in transit or whether they are looking for a new start because of whatever has happened in their home nations. This legislation is flexible enduring and it makes our immigration laws and system very very strong. It is not only about the nuts and bolts—the passenger processing the universal visa system one independent appeals tribunal a tiered detention and monitoring system—but also where we go in the future and about who controls—and how they control—those who want to be part of our system. 
I hear what the Greens and the Maori Party have said and some of that strikes a chord when we talk about nationalism or allowing people the right to come into our country. On the other hand when we talk about people coming into the country we have to be certain about a number of things especially in the times we live in today. Back in 1900 there were not too many things wrong with immigrants when they were looking for a new start but now we have a lot of security issues around the world that people need to be aware of. I think new technology such as the new biometric tools that are available is a wonderful thing and will be a very handy tool not only for this country but also for other countries as well when they come online. I also think there are other issues at stake and one is how we find out whether a person who wants to get into the country is sound and has a nice character. We can do that only by seeking out information. 
Those who say that this law is an abuse of human rights are far far wide of the mark. I say that because most of the countries that people who want to get in here come from have fewer human rights than we do. We have a duty to treat those people nicely and in a kind and humane way but we also have a duty to every other person who lives in the country to make sure that our visitors whether they are in transit on holiday or want a new start are the right sorts of people. I know that can sound a wee bit funny sometimes but I think members know what I mean. 
I want to make a brief comment about what the Hon Clayton Cosgrove said about some parties that are no longer here namely the party that I used to belong to. I am glad that party is not here and that it is not here in this debate because it made its name on getting stuck into immigrants and blaming them for every problem that arose in this country. We may have our problems— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: And did it with a pommy accent! 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: Yes that party did it with a—no I will not say that. The fact of the matter is that every nation in the world has to have a strong vigorous and vibrant immigration system. If it does not it opens the door to all the security risks and naughty and bad people in the world. I am glad that we have had and continue to have a very safe system in this country. 
My last point is that I congratulate all the people who have come to this nation and chosen our nation to be their nation. It not only builds the economic capacity of our country but it also builds the social capacity of this country. We have problems but hey we do not throw bombs at each other and we do not kill each other in the way that people do in other nations. I am proud that this legislation is the foundation of what should be and what I think will be a very very strong enduring and flexible immigration policy.