Iain Lees-Galloway should explain or resign
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has been unable to explain his appalling decision to grant Karel Sroubek
permanent residency and if he continues to refuse to explain then he should resign, National’s Justice spokesperson Mark
Mitchell and Immigration spokesperson Michael Woodhouse say.
“The Prime Minister and Iain Lees-Galloway have been unable to provide any good reason for granting residency to a
drug-dealing gang affiliate who came into New Zealand with a false passport,” Mr Mitchell says.
“They haven’t been able to justify the decision because it cannot be justified. Mr Sroubek comes from the Czech
Republic, a first world country governed by the rule of law, which is part of the European Union. It seems like the
Minister has been duped by a sob-story from the immigration lawyer of an experienced criminal.
“In her press conference the Prime Minister said she was ‘giving us clues’ as to why Mr Sroubek should stay. How about
giving us answers. A wink and nudge isn’t good enough when the safety of New Zealanders is at risk,” Mr Woodhouse says.
“The Prime Minister also told that media that the National Government would have had to make similar decisions. I
categorically reject that we would have allowed anyone with this sort of criminal history to stay here. We weren’t that
naïve.
“The letter that Mr Lees-Galloway released is the standard letter put out by anyone who receives residency which is
approved by a Minister, it doesn’t prove anything.
“Mr Lees-Galloway has proved he’s not working in the best interests of New Zealanders and he’s making our country less
safe. If he can’t provide an explanation then he’s simply not capable of being a Minister.”