Prasad Rajen: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePrasad Rajen: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 13 February 2014. Volume:696;Page:15931. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.Dr RAJEN PRASAD (Labour) to theMinister of Immigration: When he said in response to an oral question on 29 January 2014 that it was “a pretty simple process … to alert immigration authorities” what was his understanding of the process a complainant would go through?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Immigration): The member has omitted the very important middle part of my 29 January response. My full comment was as follows: “It is a pretty simple process to pick up the phone and dial an 0800 number to alert immigration authorities to the potential for this behaviour going on”. This was in reference to Mr Prasad’s 28 January statement where he admitted that despite being made aware of numerous immigration scams by friends and constituents he has never once alerted the authorities or convinced his constituents to alert authorities so that action could be taken. The immigration contact centre can be reached on 0508 558 885. The fact that it received 750000 phone and email inquiries last year illustrates the fact that this is a pretty simple process. People can also visit their nearest immigration office contact Immigration New Zealand via email or report issues anonymously through theCrimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.Dr Rajen Prasad: Given what the Minister has just said why then were the three overseas students who were defrauded by an elaborate scheme involving fake job offers for a fee of $6000 each which was reported to Immigration New Zealand by their solicitor denied visas under section 61 of the Immigration Act and threatened with deportation before their cases had been investigated?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Firstly I challenge the member to verify the last part of that statement where they have been “threatened with deportation”. What I would say is that my instructions to officials is that people who speak up do so without fear of being disadvantaged in the way that the member describes. The member will also be aware that those three people were already unlawful before they were the victims of those scams. Making an allegation does not get you a free pass. Individual circumstances are always considered by Immigration New Zealand on a case by case basis.Dr Rajen Prasad: Given the challenge that the Minister has just made I seek leave to present the emails that actually contain that very language—that very information—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am just a little confused now. The member is seeking leave to table a series of emails. Does the House need a further description of the content of those emails before I put the leave? The House needs to know a little more detail about the emails the member is seeking to table.Dr Rajen Prasad: Well these are emails from Immigration New Zealand that actually do in conveying the decision—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Who are the emails to? We have established that they are from—Dr Rajen Prasad: To the complainants.Mr SPEAKER: To the complainants. On the basis that the member has—[Interruption] Order! On the basis that the member has got the permission of the claimants to release this information I am going to put the leave and the House can decide. Leave is sought to table those emails. Is there any objection? There is objection.Dr Rajen Prasad: Why has the number of investigations of immigration fraud over the last 2 years been significantly lower than in the previous 2 years and the number of prosecutions for fraud been the lowest it has been for the previous 5 years given that there are many more people experiencing immigration fraud?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Well I challenge the claim about successful prosecutions. The information I have and which was communicated to the member on I think Monday is that successful prosecutions have gone up between by 400 and 500 percent since 2008-09.Dr Rajen Prasad: If the fraud branch of Immigration New Zealand is adequately resourced to undertake timely investigations of allegations of fraud from reputable immigration specialists why was the investigation of three cases reported to Immigration New Zealand before 10 December 2013 not progressed by 31 January but the decision to make those people liable for deportation was made on 23 January?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I am not in a position to verify whether or not the dates the member mentions are absolutely accurate but I would say about this specific case that there is much more to the communication between the victims’ advocates and Immigration New Zealand than meets the eye and it would not be appropriate for me to verify or refute the member’s claims.Dr Rajen Prasad: Supplementary question Mr Speaker—Hon Gerry Brownlee: It is Thursday.Dr Rajen Prasad: Well I am glad the member knows what day it is.Mr SPEAKER: Order! If the member just asks his supplementary question.Dr Rajen Prasad: Given the mounting evidence of immigration fraud in the past few weeks and the inability of the fraud branch to carry out timely investigations of complaints why will the Minister not reconsider his decision to deny an inquiry into the illegal practices that are damaging the reputation of the New Zealand immigration system?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I repeat my response from 2 weeks ago that the inquiry would not reveal anything we do not already know but I note that Mr Prasad seeks an inquiry according his press release into the abuse of our immigration system. This is not the abuse of our immigration system; this is the abuse of victims of migrant exploitation. Creating an unnecessary climate of fear amongst victims of this crime is inappropriate and unhelpful. Mr Prasad would be better off dedicating his energies to assist me in encouraging those migrant communities to speak up about it.