4. Immigration Policy—Campaign Policies Deportation Immigration Reduction and Work VisasHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of ImmigrationImmigration Policy—Campaign Policies Deportation Immigration Reduction and Work Visas4. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of Immigration: Does he agree with the Prime Minister when she said this week that the Government's current immigration policy is exactly the same one we campaigned on"?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister of Immigration): Yes and by way of example for the member I'll read the first line of the Labour Party election manifesto: "Labour will: Ensure that businesses are able to get genuinely skilled migrants when they need them."Hon Michael Woodhouse: Which position on the campaign commitments is correct—that the 20000 to 30000 reduction was an estimate or the Labour leader's response when asked last year "Will you cut tens of thousands of immigrants coming into the country?" was "Yes; it has to be."?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: Again let me quote from the Labour Party manifesto: "Our approach will be to focus on the skills and people we need to make New Zealand more prosperous. We will make it easier for regions that have room to grow to attract the people they need while reducing pressure on Auckland and other regions that are feeling the strain of population growth. Under Labour our immigration system will deliver for everyone who lives in New Zealand regardless of whether you were born here or have chosen to make New Zealand your home. In total our changes are estimated to reduce net migration by 20000 to 30000."Hon Michael Woodhouse: Did he advise Independent Tertiary Education New Zealand that he no longer intended to implement the policy of restricting visas for so-called low-level sub-degree courses which were estimated to reduce migration by 6000 to 10000?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: The member will be aware that student visas in-study work visas and post-study work visas are an area of priority for this Government. We will have proposals available for public consultation in the very near future and the member can look forward to that.Hon Michael Woodhouse: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister replied to the question referring to post-study work visas. The question was about work visas for low-level sub-degree courses.SPEAKER: My understanding is that the Minister actually referred to three groups not only the post-study group. He did refer to the group the member's talking about. I'm just going to check that—yes. Kieran McAnulty: What have the regions said about the Government's immigration policy?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: I have been up and down the country and I've talked to employers in all of our major industries. Many of them have expressed concerns about the hastily rushed through changes that were implemented last year but they also expressed extremely strong support for this Government's plan to take a more regional approach to immigration and they understand that this will take a little bit of time to get it right.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Has he or the Minister of Housing and Urban Development discussed with officials putting a pause on deporting individuals unlawfully in New Zealand who have construction skills?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: That is not a policy that this Government is pursuing.Hon Michael Woodhouse: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was not "Was that Government policy?" but "Did he or the Minister of Housing and Urban Development have a conversation with his officials about that?"SPEAKER: I'm going to ask the Minister to address the question.Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: As the member will know as a former Minister ideas come up from all the over place. Ideas get considered. But that is not a policy that this Government is pursuing.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Given that all but two of the 28 campaign pledges made by the Labour Party in 2017 do not require legislation do not require appropriation why on earth has he not pursued and implemented more than one of those other 26 policies?Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY: I can understand why the member is eager to see some good immigration policy after nine long years of waiting in the wilderness for something decent to happen. I understand why he's hungry for it. But he will also understand that this Government has excellent officials working to support us to turn our manifesto commitments into policy that can be implemented and the member will see the fruition of that work in the very near future."