Christopher Luxon speaks to the media in Auckland.
The Government says it will heavily restrict Dawn Raids-style immigration visits, which will require a judicial warrant.
It will also increase the number of workers entering the country under the recognised seasonal employer scheme by 500, and is adding another 17 roles to the Green List residency pathway.
Labour also plans to announce its major immigration election policy today, the first part of which the Weekend Herald can reveal will be a so-called Super Visa, or family reunification visa that will allow overseas parents and grandparents of New Zealand residents and citizens to enter the country for up to 10 years.
Labour immigration spokesman Andrew Little said it was envisioned the policy would support about 2000 families. It would assist people with parents and grandparents living in countries that required visas to visit New Zealand, such as India and China.
The applicants would need to be able to prove they could fully support their family members while in New Zealand, along with other criteria including having medical insurance. The visa would not allow people to work while in New Zealand and the time spent here would not count towards a residency application.
A similar visa was in place in Canada, covering up to five years.
“We’ve been told by advocates it will make a huge difference and help with supporting families at crucial times such as the arrival of a new child,” Little said.
The visa would allow those family members to come and go, whether for a few months or years at a time.
The changes to Dawn Raids came after Mike Heron KC’s independent review recommended the Government consider either halting out-of-hours compliance visits altogether or making them subject to judicial warrants.
Little said such visits were rare, but this extra oversight would ensure they only happened in the most essential of situations and not where vulnerable people, such as families and or elderly people, were present.
Little said he felt it addressed concerns raised by New Zealand communities about the practice.
“The Government is committed to continuing to right the wrongs of the past, and honouring the historic Dawn Raids apology to Pacific people with action,” Little said.
“Requiring a judicial warrant will ensure powers are not used disproportionately and there is a legal, third-party check and balance. It will mean this aspect of immigration compliance activity aligns with the intent of the 2021 Dawn Raids apology.”
It required the Immigration Act to be amended, which will not happen until Parliament resumed after the election. Little said the Government was required to respond to the review, which is why it had been announced as a Government decision rather than Labour policy.
A Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement had also been decided, where employers would be able to recruit migrants for roles at a lower wage threshold - currently $26.69 an hour - than under the Accredited Employer Work Visa, which has a current wage threshold of $29.66.
“Cabinet has agreed to add seven roles to the agreement next year to continue the Government’s delivery of new houses and infrastructure,” Little said.
Cabinet had also agreed to allow Cyclone Recovery Visa holders to apply for a three-month extension in which they could transition to longer-term work visas.
Meanwhile, National yesterday launched or re-launched - its hundred-point economic plan to fulfil its central campaign promise of getting New Zealand “back on track”.
The points all appear to be policies National has already announced on the campaign trail, repackaged as an economic plan.
The first is to “reduce spending on consultants and contractors by $400 million per year”, the second is to “reduce spending on back-office functions in government departments by $594 million per year (less than 0.5 per cent of total government spending) to fund National’s Back Pocket Boost tax relief plan”.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon walks about Viaduct Harbour in Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell
It restates promises to axe Auckland Light Rail and the Lake Onslow Pumped Hydro scheme and reiterates National’s commitment to tax relief.
With less than a week until overseas voting opens, National is yet to release its fiscal plan, showing how it plans to pay for its promises.
Finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis said it would be released before the voting window opens, while also pointing out Labour had also not released a plan.
Asked about why a section of the plan called “The Facts” mentioned that the Reserve Bank predicted the country would be in recession when GDP figures released yesterday showed otherwise, Willis said the Reserve Bank was still forecasting a recession longer term. She said it was not misleading to state that as fact.
After making the announcement, National leader Christopher Luxon and several MPs and candidates walked along the Auckland Viaduct meeting members of the public.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins spent the day in Manawatū campaigning where he committed $650 million to continuing the Lunches in Schools programme.
Luxon said National would also support the programme next term and committed to supporting the same number of children, but they would focus on reducing waste.
Chris Hipkins reacts as Cyclone Gabrielle affected resident Mike Glazebrook (right) of Biorich recounts his experience during the storm at a visit to the Henderson Road Transfer Station in Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hipkins distanced himself from former Labour MP Marja Lubeck after she posted to “X”, formerly Twitter, dismissing the victims of alleged bullying by Labour MP Shanan Halbert.
On Thursday, former staff told Newshub Halbert was a bully, and that he was “manipulative”, “scheming”, and “a narcissist”.
Lubeck, who was a member of Labour’s caucus in the most recent term of Government but has now retired posted: “How about some fairness, some integrity. Accusations about an MP by anonymous accusers especially in an election campaign should not be used like that. It’s wrong. Just Stop.”
