Ron Mark MP

New Zealand First Deputy Leader
2 NOVEMBER 2016

Key Didn’t Want to Upset Modi Over Fraud And Student Exploitation

New Zealand’s foreign student industry is worth $3.5 billion every year but Prime Minister John Key is not interested in cleaning up the widespread fraud involving Indian students, says New Zealand First Deputy Leader Ron Mark.

“In Parliament today he claimed the fraud was too trifling to bring up in talks, but given the size of the industry, in which India is a big player, he is very wrong.

“When Mr Key met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India last week, reputable agents in India wanted him to request Mr Modi and the Indian government to press charges against their fraudulent counterparts, but he didn’t.

“More than 2000 agents in India supply students to New Zealand and only 30 to 33 are registered.

“This year more than 163 students entered New Zealand illegally and given the government’s inept level of investigation, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

“In spite of all Mr Key’s assurances to the contrary, the Indian foreign student industry is being used as a cash cow by the government who allow agents to prey on students desperate to gain residency.

“The exploitation of students begins in India and continues in New Zealand when they are ripped off by unscrupulous employers and attend, in many cases, poor quality courses.

“Mr Key is aware of all this but he is interested only in the millions of dollars this corrupt industry brings into New Zealand each year,” Mr Mark says.

ENDS

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