Mike Moore
Media Statement

Visa Scam - A Disgrace

Monday, June 22, 2009

It’s a disgrace that we can witness, for several nights on national television, a con-man scamming vulnerable overstayers and others for worthless visas that have no legitimacy.

Why haven’t the police arrested the man? They say they are discussing this with local Iwi. Why? Is this another case of cultural sensitivity gone overboard? Such respect only encourages the fantasy that someone, who has no legal standing, can take it upon himself the authority that only Parliament can afford. If it was not about money but the principle of sovereignty, why the $500 charge? It’s got nothing to do with Maori sovereignty but is a money-making machine, the tax people also should investigate. This reminds me of the Kahui twins tragedy where the police were handcuffed by “sensitivities” and couldn’t do their job. We should back the Police not ankle-tap them.

We are entering a cloudy, vague, dangerous twilight zone when the Police cannot act but must consult.

If this is not wrong and illegal, then nothing’s wrong.

The police have said they need witnesses and evidence. Pardon? Millions of NZ’ers witnessed this rip-off.

What about the victims? Illegal migrants live in the shadows, they find it hard to go the police or complain. Many who work in these shadows are susceptible to all kinds of indignities. They can’t go to their unions, they live in fear. They try to keep their heads down and work, this is true of frightened people in this position throughout the world. This is a cruel hoax that raises unfair hopes among the lowest paid and most vulnerable in our society. This is about money. We will always have crooks and con- men amongst us. We dignify this rip-off by pretending it’s a Treaty of Waitangi issue, which actually denigrates the real problems that face our society and the people of goodwill who are working to overcome them.

Mike Moore
former Prime Minister of New Zealand
former Director-General of the World Trade Organisation

ENDS

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