Wong Pansy: Voting — Correction; Citizenship Amendment Bill (No 2) Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Readings 
Wong Pansy: Voting — Correction; Citizenship Amendment Bill (No 2) Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Readings 
[Volume:625;Page:20133] 
PANSY WONG (National) 
: 
 National has taken a very responsible stance on this legislation. We have supported provisions that will safeguard New Zealand’s visa-free travel status and agreed to provisions that grant the Minister of Internal Affairs the power to withhold travel documents on the grounds of risk to national security. I believe that the case was put very forcefully and intellectually by my learned colleague Dr Wayne Mapp. 
Contrary to the statements made by the Green member and by half the Progressive caucus unfortunately there are individuals who come to New Zealand to give birth so that the adults can eventually be entitled to obtain New Zealand residence because of the citizenship status that at present we accord automatically to babies born here. National supports the tightening of that provision because individuals should apply to become New Zealand residents through our immigration policy and should not take advantage of their babies as a means to achieve that end. 
As far as the changes to the qualifying period for citizenship which is extended from 3 years to 5 years are concerned I am sad that some debaters simply do not understand the difference between the citizenship policy and the immigration policy. It is too late and ineffectual for the Labour Government to try to increase the barrier to citizenship for people who have already been admitted to become New Zealand residents after they got through under the immigration policy. The fact is that in New Zealand the difference of entitlement between permanent residence and New Zealand citizenship is very little. Therefore members need to be honest; tonight we are looking at a citizenship policy for people who have already been assessed under our immigration policy. It is not a matter of mixing up the debate between migrants and New Zealand citizens. 
I am extremely disappointed that the Labour Government does not see fit to support my amendments and I predict that that will come back to haunt it in the future. My No. 1 amendment is to introduce classes for new migrants to learn New Zealand values and systems to better equip them to integrate into New Zealand society. I am very surprised that New Zealand First members after all their statements about people not integrating into the community are not supporting this move. 
My other amendment raises the issue of whether we really value our export education sector. If international students come here spend about 5 years to get their qualifications then want to stay in New Zealand we are now asking them to spend up to a total of 11 years here before we welcome them to be our citizens. My amendment asks for at least half of the time they spend here on temporary permits to be counted towards their qualifying period for citizenship. 
We also have a group of temporary permit holders who are known as long-term business visa holders. They are people who have already come here and invested in business with the sole purpose of converting to permanent residents after 2 years. I think the Government is very mean to deny them that by not agreeing that the exemption should apply to them. 
I finish off by telling members and the public of a conversation I had last year when I went over to Australia and discussed this issue with the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. I told the Minister that New Zealand was tightening up on the qualifying period for residents to become citizens and asked him whether Australia would retain its 2-year requirement. He looked at me in surprise and said: “Well when people come to Australia having been accepted as residents we can’t wait for them to become Australian citizens. If they want to become Australian citizens we welcome them with open arms.” We do not always see eye to eye with Australia and I always like to beat the Aussies in whatever field but in this instance I cannot help but ask the Labour Government to take a leaf from their book; to learn from the generosity and welcoming attitude of an Australian Minister whose country is also proud of the fact that its foundation was built by migrants from all over the world. I think that New Zealand in this instance has not been well served by the Labour Government.