27 August, 2004

Dunne: Zaoui case cracks a million

Asylum-seeker Ahmed Zaoui has cost the taxpayers at least one million dollars, according to figures released today by United Future leader Peter Dunne, who renewed his call to end the "Zaoui industry".

Latest figures, obtained by Mr Dunne under parliamentary questioning, show that to date the taxpayer had footed a Legal Aid bill of $208,329, Crown Law Office costs of $603,161, Corrections expenses estimated at $68,000 for holding Mr Zaoui, Labour Department legal costs of $42, 750 and court costs of $85,600.

"That makes for a total of $1,007,000 - a truly exorbitant drain on the New Zealand taxpayer - and those are just the legal costs. There are other costs not factored in, so one shudders to think what the total cost is," he said.

"This case has to be moved quickly because it is simply getting ridiculous.

"And as I've said before, while Mr Zaoui may well be unhappy that the law requires that he stay in jail while his case is being considered, Kiwis are getting equally resentful at having to foot an ever-growing bill.

ENDS

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