KEY POINTS:
United Future leader Peter Dunne has criticised the Government for refusing to grant a visa to the goalkeeper in the Fijian soccer team.
Mr Dunne, who is also the Revenue Minister, said the Government might have to pay millions of dollars for a point of principle.
Goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau was refused entry to New Zealand for a World Cup qualifying match that was to have been played last Saturday under travel sanctions imposed since last year's military coup in Suva.
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Mr Tamanisau had been denied a visa because his father-in-law is a member of the Fijian military.
As a result of the ban, soccer's world governing body, Fifa, postponed the match and there are now questions over when it will be played.
It may also raise questions over New Zealand's hosting international matches in the future, including next year's inaugural under-17 women's soccer World Cup.
Mr Dunne said it appeared the Government was doing more damage to New Zealand than Fiji.
"The man involved is, after all, merely engaged to a woman whose father happens to be a military policeman. The connection to the military dictatorship is very tenuous," Mr Dunne said.
"As a result New Zealand soccer is seriously disadvantaged on the field and faces financial losses of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars.
"This is a very heavy penalty merely to let the illegal Fijian Government know we disapprove of them - something they were already aware of."
The Government has indicated it could compensate New Zealand Soccer for any losses and Mr Dunne said this should be a case where it backs its principles with "cold, harsh cash".
New Zealand has refused entry to members of the Fiji military and their families since the December coup.
The Immigration Service rushed through visas for the Fijian team when the World Cup qualifier was brought forward by five weeks from its original date of November 17, leaving the players with less than the one-month period usually needed to process applications.
The postponed match is part of an Oceania qualifying series and is vital to both teams' hopes of progressing to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The second leg is due to be played in Fiji tomorrow.
- NZPA
