Hughes Darren: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hughes Darren: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:638;Page:8916] 
9.  
DARREN HUGHES (Labour—Otaki) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: What initiatives has the Government taken to assist horticulturalists with seasonal labour shortages? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 The Government launched the well-received Recognised Seasonal Employer initiative on 30 April which was developed in partnership with Pacific States and communities industry and unions. It will assist seasonal industries to self-manage the labour shortage encourage the employment of Kiwis first and provide a sustainable labour solution for the future. 
Darren Hughes 
: How will the Government ensure that overseas workers do not displace New Zealand workers in the seasonal industry? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Given the exceptional unemployment rate currently being experienced in New Zealand—3.7 percent—migrant workers need to be an important secondary source of labour. Employers must access all available New Zealand labour first the Ministry of Social Development must verify that labour shortages exist in particular areas and employers must be accredited after having demonstrated good employment practices. Unions employers and Pacific Island States are all committed to making this work. 
Peter Brown 
: Will the Minister confirm that this initiative builds on a policy announced by the Rt Hon Winston Peters in October last year that allows Pacific workers to fill seasonal labour shortages and can he assure the House that the system is not being abused and rorted as has been reported recently; if the report is true what is the Minister doing to address that problem? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: This initiative was announced by the Prime Minister Helen Clark at last year’s Pacific leaders’ forum and follows on from work that had been done with forum leaders—in part by the Minister of Foreign Affairs—over the preceding year. 
Peter Brown 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. There is a report that states that this system is being abused. That was a very important part of my question to the Minister. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I apologise; I missed that. Would he like to repeat the second half of the question? 
Peter Brown 
: Can the Minister assure the House that the system is not being abused; if the abuse that is alleged in this  
New Zealand Herald  
report—which I will table—is occurring what is he doing to address it? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well I think he did address the question but I call the Hon David Cunliffe. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: The system cannot be being abused yet because it has not actually started. But I can tell the member that Pacific States are working extremely closely with our Government and with employers to ensure that workers will go home at the end of their time. Quite simply if they do not go home the employer will be deregistered and the workers will not come back the next year. 
Craig Foss 
: Why should growers who have followed all of the rules stand to lose thousands of dollars of repatriation bond because the Minister’s department has not followed its own rules—for example amending a seasonal labour worker’s visa thus allowing the worker to abscond? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Quite simply employers who follow all the rules will lose nothing. One of the rules is that the workers need to go back home at the end of the season. 
Craig Foss 
: I seek leave to table a letter from myself to the Minister dated 7 March where I outline the situation of an employer suffering exactly what I have just described. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Can the member confirm whether that matter relates to the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme which was the subject of the primary question or to another scheme such as the old Seasonal Work Permit scheme which employers in his district would no doubt like to see continue? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I am not sure whether that is relevant. We are tabling some documents here. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Craig Foss 
: I seek leave to table another document concerning a Government initiative for seasonal labour which is the Minister’s response to me referring me to the Palmerston North office— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Craig Foss 
: Finally I seek leave to table a document dated 23 April which is the letter I wrote to the Palmerston North office to which I am still awaiting a reply. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Peter Brown 
: I seek leave to table a report from the  
New Zealand Herald  
that refers to syndicates smuggling in illegal workers to work— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.