Customs quietly revises protocol

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

Changes to ensure passengers seeking asylum or those with problems with travel documents are not shoved from pillar to post at airports have been introduced in the wake of the Ahmed Zaoui case.

The unannounced changes came into effect in the second half of last year and were introduced after the Refugee Status Appeals Authority's report on the Algerian refugee, who remains in prison.

Customs Minister Rick Barker revealed the changes during a tense exchange with fellow Government MP, Progressive Matt Robson, at the foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee last week.

A Customs spokeswoman said later a protocol had been agreed between Customs and the Immigration Service that meant passengers with incomplete travel papers or those seeking asylum would now be dealt with by one agency first and then the other, rather than being passed between each.

Mr Barker told the Herald the changes were not announced because they were a minor operational matter.

He said they were a result of the "pass the parcel" process undergone by Mr Zaoui when he arrived without travel documents at Auckland Airport in December 2002, seeking asylum.

But Mr Barker told the committee he and Customs did not agree with everything the authority had said in its report on the Zaoui case released in August last year. The minister said he thought the authority was confused in regard to the questions a Customs officer could ask when carrying out work under the Customs and Excise Act, and that there was "deliberate obfuscation" in that area.

He said later those deliberately obscuring the issue were "commentators" on the Zaoui affair , but refused to say if he was referring to Mr Robson.

In the committee, Mr Robson described the authority's decision as being "extremely critical" of Customs.

The Progressive MP said the report noted Customs officer "AB", who dealt with Mr Zaoui on his arrival, was not trained in dealing with asylum seekers, nor in interviewing.

"The result of his questioning was false statements and information were put down, which went to the police, went to Corrections, went to the SIS, and was very instrumental in placing Mr Zaoui in maximum security."

Mr Barker said he was concerned about the quality of training but that was being addressed.