Peters calls for DNA testing of refugees

Winston Peters

Winston Peters says his New Zealand First party is willing to pay for DNA testing to prove an immigrant family fraudulently gained refugee status.

He told Rotorua Grey Power yesterday that the Al-Ali family members - who were reported in the Herald on Tuesday defending accusations made against them - had used false documents to get entry to New Zealand.

The claims by the father, Najm Al-Ali, that his family of 14 children and their Iraqi in-laws were innocent of any wrong-doings were false, Mr Peters said.

They had claimed family relationships which were "patently untrue" and had accessed Housing New Zealand houses and other benefits, he said.

Mr Peters accused the Herald and Prime Minister Helen Clark, who had once had her picture taken with the family in Glenfield, of failing to take the time to investigate the matter.

"If they had they would have found that in this family girls are 'married' to their cousins; some who are claimed to be children are grandchildren; the children of the eldest son have been admitted as his sister's children and the mother of these children was brought to the country as his 'new bride' even though they had been together with their children at least three years previously. Two of the children are extras."

Mr Peters said one way of settling the matter was DNA testing - and NZ First was prepared to pay for that.

He said "not one official" had been sent to investigate the truth of his allegations.

"The effect is that the word of a long-serving MP is questioned, or worse the MP is accused of lying."

Mr Peters said Helen Clark was "guilty of the most serious neglect of duty."

In response to questions in the House by Mr Peters about Mr Al-Ali on May 11, Helen Clark had said allegations against the family were already underway after a separate complaint to immigration authorities.

"They are trying to make an assessment of whether lies have been told. They are reviewing the original refugee status claim, and they are fully investigating allegations."

Immigration Minister Paul Swain confirmed yesterday the family was being investigated by the Immigration Service fraud unit.

The Department of Labour was not commenting on Mr Al-Ali because his application was being reviewed.

Workforce deputy secretary Mary Anne Thompson said the release of information about him publicly could prejudice the outcome of the inquiry.

"The department can confirm that it received a letter from an anonymous source in late April making allegations about Mr Al-Ali. These allegations are being fed into the investigation.

The Al-Ali family told the Herald this week they had not heard from anyone in the Immigration Service about the legality of their refugee status.