Darien
FENTON
Labour Spokesperson
05 March 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Secret immigration plan revealed in paper

A Cabinet paper obtained by Labour reveals National is planning a raft of changes around immigration that somehow seem to have been ‘left out’ of last month’s Briefing to the Incoming Minister, Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Darien Fenton says.

"There are some nasty surprises in this document.

“Titled Issues and decisions for the first 100 days and prepared for new Immigration Minister Nathan Guy and Associate Minister Kate Wilkinson it reveals the Government plans to tighten up requirements for family members seeking residency in New Zealand, while preference will be given to the better off,” Darien Fenton said.

“Parents seeking residency in New Zealand to be with their children will face tougher tests according to the income levels of both themselves and their children.

"Parents whose families have higher incomes will go straight to the front of the queue in a ‘Tier One’ category and face less stringent eligibility tests, while those less well off will be ranked ‘Tier Two’ and will face tougher conditions and longer waiting times.

Ms Fenton said the paper also states that the Sibling and Adult Child Category is to be removed altogether from July this year.

"These changes were signed off by Cabinet in May 2011, yet there was no mention of them in the publicly released Briefing to the Incoming Minister.

"They will come as a shock to the thousands of people in New Zealand looking to reunite their families, especially given the special treatment handed out to millionaires such as Kim Dotcom.

“There will also be an impact on Pacific families, something that was alluded to by MFaT officials who raised concerns in the in the Cabinet Paper that the changes must be handled carefully considering 2012 is the 50th anniversary of New Zealand’s treaty of Friendship with Samoa.

"Sadly it appears New Zealand is becoming a country where only those with pot loads of money are welcome. We roll out the red carpet for them, yet we make it near impossible for good, less well-off families,” Darien Fenton said.

NB:
Paper attached (PDF File)

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