June 19th 2009 - New Zealand Prime Minister - Key: Immigration Services a "Shambles"
Source: TV News
New Zealand’s current immigration services are a “shambles and a mess” left to the Key government by the previous Labour Government, says Prime Minister John Key
New Zealand Immigration has had a series of problems and internal issues in the last 24 months. Key has prescribed a minder for the Department of Labour's chief executive to solve problems within the department.
An Auditor-General's report released this month said the service was focused on processing as many visas as possible without worrying about quality.
"This meant that staff who were under pressure to meet quantity targets had incentives to approve visas and permits, rather than decline them," the report said.
The Pacific Division seems most under pressure.
The division was set up by the service's former boss Mary Anne Thompson in 2005, who resigned last year after accusations of a conflict of interest in helping overseas family members gain residency.
Thompson is currently facing court action on fraud and dishonesty charges.
"This was a shambles and a mess left to us by the Labour Government," Mr Key said said on TVNZ's Breakfast programme.
He was confident Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman could solve the problems.
Dr Coleman told TV1's Q+A show that every process undertaken by Immigration New Zealand will have to be pulled apart and looked at from top to bottom to make sure things are working properly.
The problems meant some people may be in New Zealand who should not be and others with legitimate rights may have been turned away, he said.
The report's recommendations needed to be implemented, permanent senior immigration management was needed to replace those in acting roles, and the IT system needed an upgrade worth $117 million over four years.
Two years was the "outside limit" for changes to be made and New Zealand to have "a superb immigration service".
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