Hon Dr Lockwood Smith
National Party Immigration Spokesman

22 December 2005

Field inquiry going nowhere fast

National's Immigration spokesman, Lockwood Smith, says the Phillip Field immigration inquiry has been further delayed.

"It's going nowhere fast. Witnesses continue to refuse to be interviewed and the Prime Minister now says the report has been further delayed."

Prime Minister Helen Clark has admitted the delay in response to a parliamentary question by Dr Smith.

"The inquiry was originally to have been completed by 4 October, then it was before Christmas, and now the Prime Minister says it is expected to be completed in the New Year.

"She has not even confirmed if it will be released publicly.

"If this is to be anything other than a snow job, Helen Clark is going to have to deal with the problem of witnesses refusing to be interviewed. The whole saga continues to look very murky," says Dr Smith.

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