Immigration Service facing wave of corruption

The Immigration Service is struggling to cope with mounting cases of fraud and corruption, according to the service's records.

Briefings to new Immigration Minister Paul Swain show that the service laid 248 charges for fraud or other crimes last year as immigration applications increased.

Mr Swain said these charges did not relate to service staff.

Last week, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters called for a clean-up of the service, after a review of its staff revealed a series of fraud allegations.

Between 2001 and last year, there were 78 allegations of fraud involving 49 staff.

Twenty-one cases were substantiated and 17 remain open.

In other material released under the Official Information Act, the service painted a grimmer picture still.

"As immigration work pressures have increased, the risk-management issues associated with fraud and staff integrity have also increased," the papers said.

"Additional investigation resources permitted 248 charges to be laid during 2003 under the Immigration Act and the Crimes Act.

"Of the 89 cases that have reached court, 50 have been dealt with, resulting in sentences ranging from fines to two years' imprisonment.

Mr Swain said in a clarifying letter that the 248 charges were not related to staff.

"Please note that this figure refers to fraud by immigration applicants or agents."

Mr Peters said the main driver behind the fraud statistics was the "unprecedented" numbers of immigrants. "It has now been revealed that immigration staff were themselves involved in corruption and fraud," he said.

"This raises serious questions about the type of people who have been allowed into the country by corrupt officials."

Mr Peters called for a major review into all applications for residency or citizenship handled by the officials found to have failed their duty.

The papers released to NZPA said there had been a significant increase in the resources deployed to combat fraud, with many decisions subject to audit.

The previous minister, Lianne Dalziel, had ordered a review of internal investigations and these were being beefed up.

The findings of the review included:

* The service took allegations seriously and investigated all reports of such activity.

* Further training and skilled resources were needed for the service to carry out investigations effectively.

* There is no overall fraud management plan.

* Pre-employment checks could include police background checks.

The report suggested the development of a fraud policy and a fraud control plan.

- NZPA