Migrant caught in scam told to pack his bags

By EUGENE BINGHAM


From humble beginnings, Liang had struggled to build two successful businesses in his home in southern China.

But as his twin boys grew up, he searched for somewhere to go to improve their chances of a good education and a happy place to live.

He applied for residency in New Zealand as a business investor.

A year after moving here, Liang is a broken man, clinically depressed and shaken in his belief that New Zealand is a fair society.

He is being kicked out of New Zealand after his application was found to include a fake document - even though he has been cleared of any wrong-doing and was never considered a suspect in the fraud.

Late last year, Liang (he does not want his whole name used for fear of the Chinese Government) and two other business investor applicants arranged for the transfer of $1 million each to New Zealand - part of the requirement for acceptance under the category.

The transfer was organised through an Auckland company which arranged to give Liang a bank document recording the transaction. But rather than giving the three applicants their own documents, the company produced one fake certificate.

The fake certificate was detected by staff at the service's business migration branch and the Serious Fraud Office began an investigation.

Despite the fraudulent document, Liang, his wife and 8-year-old twins were allowed to travel to New Zealand, and he was issued with a temporary work permit until the issue was cleared up.

After an investigation, the service wrote that it had found no evidence of wrong-doing by Liang. "Mr Liang was never treated as a suspect," said the service's Andrew Holmes.

One of the other applicants caught up in the fake document scandal has been allowed to stay in the country.

But the service decided to revoke Liang's permit, telling him that he bore final responsibility for problems with his application. He has appealed to the Removal Review Authority.

Liang's immigration agent, Eugene Li, tracked down a former manager of the business migration branch, Lucky Ma Chee, to seek his help.

Mr Ma Chee said this week that he believed Liang was trapped and had been unfairly left in limbo.

"We can't get him out of the system," he said. "We can't get anyone to listen."

Associate Immigration Minister Damien O'Connor said last night that even though Liang did not fake the document, it was filed with the service on his behalf.

"He paid [the company] to act on his behalf and it's up to him to ensure that they act with integrity," said Mr O'Connor.

"All applicants have to remember that all information should be accurate. I personally do not look favourably at all on any misinformation or deception, intended or otherwise, of the service."

Mr O'Connor said the case of the applicant who has been allowed to stay was not similar to Liang's because the circumstances in which it was processed were different.

As for the fact that Liang would have to pack up his family and move back to China, Mr O'Connor said: "Many people come to New Zealand temporarily and a huge number of them have to leave. His family is no different to them."

Through a translator, Liang said: "New Zealand is a good place. But to me, it's worse than a jail."

He is a father who has to shrug his shoulders as his sons ask him: "Why aren't you going to work, Daddy? What have you done?"



* Email Eugene Bingham