Lockwood Smith MP National Party Immigration Spokesman

18 June 2008

Immigration: No checks on newcomers

National Party Immigration spokesman Lockwood Smith has released a further document provided to him by a whistleblowing immigration officer.

"This person, who claims to be a serving immigration officer, has alleged that basic checks are not being done on potential immigrants from high-risk countries. That whistleblower has also provided evidence to prove that claim."

Dr Smith says the attached record from Immigration describes how a one-year work permit was issued to an applicant even though no evidence was produced to support the application.

Dr Smith says a handwritten note on the document from the whistleblower has been re-typed to protect that person's identity.

"These are matters that the Immigration Minister does have some control over. Instead of passing the buck to one of the four inquiries currently underway, Clayton Cosgrove needs to tell the public what he plans to do."

Dr Smith says Labour remains in denial over the snowballing problems at Immigration, and every day more and more people are being processed through that department.

"The computer record and the checks performed clearly support the claim that immigration officials are cutting corners and exposing Kiwis to greater security risks.

"The Immigration Service's own computer records show people are being allowed into New Zealand for at least a year without any checks being done to verify that the person is who they say they are, without any supporting evidence to prove they actually have a job offer, without any verification of their qualifications, or even to show that they come from the country they claim to come from.

"While Mr Cosgrove wants New Zealanders to believe that all of these issues are operational matters and beyond his control, those excuses won't wash with the public."

© Scoop Media