Ministry warned Govt on harm from amnesty

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned the Government that its amnesty for well-settled overstayers could damage New Zealand's relationship with Australia.

A ministry report released by Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel yesterday said the amnesty could have a significant impact on the bilateral relationship with Australia and was likely to undermine support for the Trans Tasman Travel Arrangement (TTTA).

It also warned that the proposal could have "negative implications" for the Government's reciprocal social security arrangement with Australia, which was being negotiated when the amnesty was under consideration.

The amnesty, announced last year, allowed well-settled overstayers six months to apply for a two-year work permit, at the end of which they would be entitled to apply for residency.

To qualify, overstayers had to prove they had either lived here for more than five years, had one or more New Zealand-born children or were living in a stable (at least two years) de facto relationship or marriage with a New Zealand citizen or resident.

The report said the proposal would send the wrong signal to would-be illegal immigrants, who would eventually acquire New Zealand citizenship and gain backdoor entry into Australia under TTTA.

The Australian Government regarded the TTTA as a gap in its otherwise carefully controlled immigration procedures, but was prepared to maintain the agreement as long as New Zealand's immigration programme did not significantly differ.



The amnesty ended last month, after generating about 4600 applications for almost 6000 of the estimated 18,000 to 22,000 overstayers believed to be living in the country.

Ms Dalziel said concerns the policy would have a negative impact on TTTA did not eventuate.

- NZPA