The Government is refusing to acknowledge legal advice showing that its objective for passing urgent immigration legislation this week was not met by the law change, Labour immigration spokesperson Lianne Dalziel said today.

Lianne Dalziel said that Government MPs refused leave in the House today for her to table a letter sent to Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere from the Refugee Council.

"The Government is clearly trying to save the Minister from embarrassment because it seems fairly obvious that statements he made to defend the urgent passing of this legislation were incorrect.

"The Refugee Council shows clearly why the legislation does not do what the Minister says it does.

"In Parliament this week, Labour slammed the legislation as being a panic measure which abused the Parliamentary process.

"If the Government had adopted proper processes, hitches such as the one outlined by the council, could have been avoided," Lianne Dalziel said.

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