Privacy Commissioner investigating actions of Immigration Service

By EUGENE BINGHAM political reporter

The Immigration Service is under investigation for a possible breach of the Privacy Act during its handling of the Filipino family wrongly deported.

Privacy Commissioner Bruce Slane has initiated an inquiry into the service's actions against the Mila family and could expand his probe to include its wider practices.

A finding against the service could see it ordered to pay compensation.

The investigation comes as Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel is under increasing pressure for her role in the events of last week, particularly her allegation that she had been misled by her officials.

Immigration officers and police swooped on the Mila family before breakfast last week and deported them before realising that they had blundered. The family say they told the officers their case was still being heard and they should not be packed out of the country, but their pleas were ignored.

Mr Slane said yesterday that his investigation would centre on provisions of the law which required agencies to take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of the information upon which they were acting.

"It's important people don't have decisions made about them on the basis of information that [is incorrect.]

"The issues that would arise are what are the reasonable checks [the service] should have taken and what checks should they have made when informed by the parties that they should not have been deported."

The investigation will be carried out in private but Mr Slane says he will release the outcome and any matters that should be brought to the public's attention.

Lianne Dalziel was yesterday considering a report from the service on the case but she refused to release it or even discuss its contents.

National MP Marie Hasler is pressing for a State Services Commission inquiry into the minister's attack on the service in Parliament.

During question time last week, Lianne Dalziel refused to take responsibility for the botchup, saying she had been misinformed by her own officials.