Kiwi Immigration Watch

Ni hao , Konnichiwa, An Nyung haseo, sawa dee-krap, Magandang tanghali, Vanakkam, namaskkaram, selamat siang, talofa, Bula, malo e lelei, Kia Ora,

Thank you for coming today to the launch of the Kiwi Immigration Watch.

New Zealand has always been a place where people from other nationalities plant their lives and their talents in the soil of this young country, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Many of you have followed other great men and women who have migrated from their homelands to new countries all over the world, and history is full of their amazing stories and the significant contributions they have made in their new adopted nation.

The tradition of being adopted into a new family, a new culture, and a new nation goes back to the earliest records of human civilisation.

The Judeo-Christian tradition which stretches back 3500 years to the time of Moses has much to say about how we should treat foreigners, sojourners, and aliens in our midst.

Tangata Whenua have a word: Manakitanga.

Manakitanga is everything they will say. Mana is very important. Manakitanga is the duty and privilege of every one who hosts visitors. They value the importance of hospitality. A mans Mana will be measured by how much he displays manakitanga, how hospitable he is to strangers and visitors. This tikanga, this custom runs very deep within Maori society, and it runs very deep within these Judeo-Christian values that the Kiwi Party is based upon.

We are nothing if we do not take care for others, show hospitality to strangers, help the weak, and care for the orphans widows and strangers in our land.

That is why the Kiwi Party is very pleased to get behind the launch today of this initiative called the Kiwi Immigration Watch.

We are very disturbed and ashamed of the reports we hear of how many of the people legitimately arriving here in New Zealand are being treated by Immigration Services.

It seems to us that somewhere along the way, Immigration Services has forgotten that they are, (for the most part) New Zealands first point of contact with people who are seeking a new home for themselves and their families.

We accept that there is a need for some rules and regulations and procedures around Immigration, however we also believe that there is a need to remember Manakitanga, and hospitality that includes treating people honestly, with dignity and respect.

Kiwi Immigration Watch is designed to shine a light on reports of:

o Alleged corruption in some of our foreign embassies.

o The inefficiency of our departments and offices here in NZ.

o The loss of passports, the long delays, and requests for more information after applicants have previously supplied all information requested.

o Medical examinations that seem to go on for ever, and often make little sense.

o English language tests that arrive at bizarre results, failing people who have a very good proficiency in spoken English.

o Families separated for lengthy periods, while paper work shifts from one bureaucratic desk to another.

The Kiwi Party says that Immigration Services is failing to show Manakitanga, and has lost its Mana.

On a personal level, I was recently made aware of a family who have obtained New Zealand Residency.

A husband and wife with three children, wishing to bring a fourth child out from their home country to live with them, a six year old boy who has downs syndrome.

However, because he has downs syndrome they have been having all sorts of difficulty gaining a permit for their own son to come and live with in Aotearoa NZ.

This case is something I find both appalling, and a completely unacceptable injustice.

As Leader of the Kiwi Party (a party I hope will earn the respect of all new Kiwis in this country), I pledge our support to the Kiwi Immigration Watch.

We hope that by highlighting the plight of the voiceless many, we will be able to see justice done and compassion, true hospitality, manakitanga, flourish within Immigration Services.

We ask those who work within Immigration Services to remember that they are public servants, and that they represent all New Zealanders when they fulfil the responsibility of being the first point of contact with immigrants.

I am sure that Kiwi Immigration Watch will have an important role to play in addressing the injustices currently occurring, and it is our hope that many wrongs will be put right, and manakitanga restored to Immigration Services.

Thank you.

Larry Baldock

Party Leader

The Kiwi Party

ENDS

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