Bereaved family safe in NZ

The Immigration Service is assuring a Zimbabwean family who lost their father and husband in a car crash on Monday that their immigration status is safe for now.

Leon Oosthuizen, 44, died instantly when the van he was driving was involved in a collision with a truck.

Mr Oosthuizen, his wife, Margie, and their children Lendl, 17, Jessica, 14, Hannah, 11 and Byron, 8, arrived in Hawkes Bay in February last year and bought the Redskin Nursery between Clive and Hastings five months later.

Mr Oosthuizen was the family's principal applicant for a long-term business visa.

The family feared they would have to leave New Zealand, but Immigration Service communications adviser Phil Harris said yesterday they had been told their "current immigration status is not in doubt".

"The Department of Labour's Immigration Service has been in contact with Mrs Oosthuizen to reassure the family that her work permit and the children's student permits remain in effect," Mr Harris said.

"The main concern is the family's welfare.

"The family has been invited to call Immigration in a couple of months time to discuss business visa options."

National MP Tony Ryall, who represents Bay of Plenty, welcomed the Immigration Service reassurance, but said he believed it was prompted by the threat of media coverage and political questioning.

"It was only a day or so ago that they were refusing to comment and ministers wouldn't do anything," he said.

"I think it is good that someone finally picked up the phone to speak to the family, and I would hope that in a couple of months, when the family contacts the Immigration Service, it can deal expeditiously with the matter."

Mr Ryall said he would be watching the "sad case" closely.

Spokesmen for Immigration Minister Paul Swain and Associate Immigration Minister Damien O'Connor said the ministers would not be getting involved in the Oosthuizen case as it was an issue for the Immigration Service.

Tukituki MP Rick Barker said he wanted to meet the Oosthuizens to help them work through the immigration process.

"I am very sorry to learn of the Oosthuizen family's circumstances," he said.

"With immigration issues there is a process to work through and there is no useful purpose to be gained in leaping to conclusions about what that process will determine.

It is a one step at a time thing," said Mr Barker.


- NZPA