Hon. Dr Lockwood Smith MP
National Party Immigration Spokesman

27 June 2007

Immigration Minister evades the serious questions

The Immigration Minister is diving for cover instead of answering serious questions about New Zealand's border security, says National's Immigration spokesman Dr Lockwood Smith.

In Parliament today David Cunliffe admitted he doesn't know how many of the people at the centre of the 596 identity fraud cases identified by the Auditor-General are currently in New Zealand.

"This is a shocking admission of the total failure of departmental systems," says Dr Smith.

"The Minister was unable to give Parliament or the New Zealand public any assurances that none of the 596 people identified pose a security, criminal or public health risk to our country.

"Attempts to evade answering questions on such a serious matter as New Zealand's security are a damning indictment of the Minister.

"That Mr Cunliffe failed to provide answers to simple questions is a measure of just how woeful the Department of Labour's systems really are."

ENDS

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