Hon. Tony Ryall MP
National Party Immigration Spokesman

27 September 2005

Visa-gate inquiry stalls

“The Visa-gate inquiry has stalled,” says National’s Immigration spokesman, Tony Ryall. “Noel Ingram QC is still negotiating terms of reference and can’t do a proper job by the October 4 target date.

“Meanwhile more questions need to be answered.

“We understand that Mr Field has made well over 500 representations on immigration cases in the past five years – with around 100 in the three months before the election alone.

“Will the inquiry look at each of these?”

Mr Ryall says Helen Clark needs to greatly extend the terms of reference for the inquiry.

“We also understand that Associate Immigration Minister Damien O’Connor has not yet read the file on this issue.

“Why is that? Why would he not look at the file? He is at the centre of this matter and one would think he should be very keen to see for himself what has gone on and to see it resolved.

"Why is there a delay in settling the terms of reference? Is Ms Clark trying to put a lid on the scandal? Or is Mr Ingram fighting official resistance to his efforts to avoid being simply a white-washer?”

ENDS

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