Wong Pansy: Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Wong Pansy: Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:625;Page:20107] 
PANSY WONG (National) 
: 
 I would like the Committee to consider the amendments I am putting forward. They fall into three major categories. I agree with previous speakers who have said that to become a New Zealand citizen is a very important and privileged decision. I want the Government and others to consider supporting my amendment which proposes that before an applicant is accepted to become a New Zealand citizen he or she should attend a compulsory citizenship induction course administered by the Department of Internal Affairs where the rights and obligations of becoming a New Zealand citizen would be learnt properly. 
I also want the Minister in the chair the Hon George Hawkins to take a call because even though he told us last year that this bill had to be passed in 2004 we are obviously now in April 2005 and there seems to be little need for that urgency. The Minister said that the starting date for Part 4 and Part 8 will now be the commencement date but I think that will still cause a lot of uncertainty in the communities affected. I have proposed a whole raft of amendments to suggest that we state a specific day—say 1 May 2005—to introduce some certainty. 
I would also like the Committee to support my amendment with regard to the time that a temporary visa holder spends in New Zealand. Let us think about it. The export education sector we are told contributes $2 billion a year into the economy. Students usually come to study at high school and then go on to tertiary education which means that on average a student would spend 5 years here before maybe converting their visa to a work visa and then becoming a permanent resident. That means that by the time they are allowed to apply to become New Zealand citizens they would already have spent some 5 to 6 years in New Zealand. 
 I understand that the Hon Matt Robson is moving an amendment to revert to the current situation whereby the temporary visa holder’s time-span in New Zealand would count towards the qualifying period. I am a reasonable person and my amendment states that at least half the time such people spend in New Zealand should be counted towards that. I hope to hear feedback from the Minister. 
I also raise the issue relating to a different group of permit holder—the long-term business visa holder. Those people come to New Zealand for the express purpose of experiencing whether within 2 years they can successfully establish a business. They come with the sole intention that they will be entitled to become permanent resident visa holders upon proving that their business venture is being implemented. I hope that the Minister can look favourably at that group of people and say that the retrospective nature of the change will not apply to that group of visa holders as well. I understand that there are probably 2000 to 3000 of them and given the fact that they have uprooted themselves and made a serious investment in New Zealand by commencing business paying GST and contributing to New Zealand I hope that the Minister can look favourably at the amendment I have proposed and say that they will be allowed to be exempt from being subject to the new extended provision and can be considered under the current requirement. 
I really think that the Minister should take a call at least to give us some feedback on his reaction towards the raft of amendments proposed by myself. They are very considered and deserve some attention from the Minister. I look forward to his contribution.