Ex-minister's scheme a scam says Dalziel

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel says former minister Tuariki Delamere is behind a "sophisticated scam" that allows migrants to avoid residency rules.

She revealed the scheme to the finance and expenditure select committee yesterday and labelled it disgusting.

Mr Delamere was Immigration Minister in the last National Government until sacked just before the 1999 election by then-Prime Minister Jenny Shipley.

He said the scheme had not yet started, and he did not expect it would now because the minister would change the rules.

Ms Dalziel tabled a Tuariki Delamere & Associates services agreement outlining the scheme, which she said avoided the English language test requirements of the skilled business category.

"This is a very sophisticated scam. It's another one of the money-go-rounds that I have to deal with as the minister," she said.

Mr Delamere was using his knowledge and experience to "rort the immigration system", and was charging a $20,000 fee.

The scheme might be legal, but it was "utterly unethical" to avoid Government residency policy, she said.

Outlining the scheme, which uses the Talent Visa programme started last year, Ms Dalziel said it involved Mr Delamere's group establishing a company in the migrant's name.

She said migrants could not set up accredited firms, which had to be New Zealand companies and be good employers.

Mr Delamere would then arrange for an employer accredited under the Talent Visa system to offer the potential migrant a contract to run that company.

"That's how the scam operates - that's how they get around the accredited employer not being the owner of the company," she said.

Delamere & Associates would then take the salary from the migrant's company and feed it back through the accredited employer - which would be seen in the tax system as paying the salary.

The scheme made it appear that the $45,000 minimum salary requirement of the Talent Visa was being met, said Ms Dalziel.

Mr Delamere said the Talent Visa policy only required that a migrant be less than 55, healthy, of good character, and paid at least $45,000 annually for two years.

"We believe this is a system that's totally within the policy and totally within the law and meets all the requirements - end of story."

He said Ms Dalziel knew that the Talent Visa had no English language requirement, and if she wanted one she should include it in the policy.

Ms Dalziel had publicly acknowledged that she hated immigration consultants, Mr Delamere said.

He made no apology for trying to find ways through the rules to bring in migrants who would benefit the country.

"Dalziel's always had a personal vendetta against me, and it's quite clear she wants to stop Asians coming to New Zealand."

Mr Delamere said his crime had been to bring in migrants with skills, business background and investment funds that would benefit the country.

Ms Dalziel said Mr Delamere was not alone and she would soon name others who were "rorting the system".

She expressed frustration with never-ending attempts by individuals and consultants to get around the rules.

"Every time I change a rule, there's an immigration consultant immediately trying to find a way around those rules."

Mr Delamere was sacked as minister over a deal involving Wi Huata, husband of suspended Act MP Donna Awatere Huata.

The deal involved offering 21 Chinese businesspeople permanent residency on condition that they invest in Maori business projects.