30/08/10 - radespeople lead move to Australia - report

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The Department of Labour says tradespeople rather than university graduates are leading the move across the Tasman to Australia.

It says tradespeople and lower skilled workers are being drawn by wages 60% higher than in New Zealand.

The report was based on Census data.

It says lifestyle, as well as some restrictions in the Australian civil service, partly explain why higher skilled workers are more likely to stay in New Zealand.

(Source Radio New Zealand)

26/08/10 - Immigration investigates 34 staff for misconduct

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Thirty-four Immigration New Zealand staff are being investigated for misconduct, including allegations of fraud and corruption.

This follows the sacking this year of seven immigration staff, three of whom were directly involved in visa processing.

In a response to a written question from Labour in Parliament, Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman said that on August 16 the department was investigating 32 allegations "concerning conduct and performance" of immigration staff.

Two fresh allegations have emerged since, and Immigration New Zealand says 34 cases are now being investigated.

Eighteen allegations relate to officials in New Zealand, and 16 to staff in branch offices overseas.

The Herald understands that several staff have been stood down, and others have been issued written warnings, but Immigration NZ would not confirm this.

Of the seven officials sacked this year, five were "long-term employees" who had worked at the department between six and eight years.

Labour's immigration spokesman, Pete Hodgson, said it was "concerning" that the department had such a high number of staff facing investigations.

"The question is how long have they been crooked, and how many of the visas have already been inappropriately granted or declined?" Mr Hodgson asked.

Immigration NZ chief Nigel Bickle said it was inappropriate to comment as it might prejudice the investigations.

In the past 12 months, immigration officials faced 60 allegations of fraud, corruption and dishonesty, of which 10 were substantiated, 27 unsubstantiated and 23 were being investigated, Mr Bickle said.

The substantiated allegations related to systems misuse, misconduct and corruption and have resulted in the seven dismissals, four written warnings, one final written warning, one resignation and one suspension.

"The Department of Labour has set very clear expectations about the performance and conduct required of staff, who have been provided with training in the code of conduct and are reminded regularly of the importance that is placed on the integrity of the immigration system," Mr Bickle said.

"It is obviously disappointing that some staff have been dismissed for misconduct."

Mr Bickle said the department investigated all allegations that were made.

A colleague of a staff member under investigation for system misuse said the agency was "acting on every tiny complaint" in recent months, and this was affecting morale.

"People make allegations when decisions don't go their way, and it's really a waste of time and resources when every one is being investigated," said the officer.

"There seems to be more of a 'big brother' culture now at Immigration and some of us just feel like we're being watched a lot more."

He did not want to be identified because he said speaking to the media without authority could result in criminal charges, formal warning or immediate dismissal.

(Source Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald)

21/08/10 - Asians suffer most discrimination in NZ

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Asians experience the most discrimination of all New Zealand racial groups, research finds.

The annual Human Rights Commission diversity forum will be held at the Christchurch Convention Centre tomorrow and Monday.

Confident, equal and proud? A discussion paper on the barriers Asians face to equality in New Zealand will be presented at a panel chaired by Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres.

Co-authored by Adrienne Girling, James Liu and Colleen Ward, the paper pulls together research on racial discrimination in New Zealand that has been collected over decades.

Co-author Liu said despite Asians making up about nine per cent of the population – more than Pacific people – they were regarded poorly by others.

"New Zealanders much more embrace the economic benefits of Asia," Liu said.

"They consider Asia to be the second most important region to New Zealand after Australia – above Europe and the United Kingdom – but they are much more reluctant to embrace Asian people and Asian culture as being part of New Zealand."

"`It's kind of wanting to have your cake and eat it too."

One of the surprising finds showed that despite earning one of the lowest incomes per capita, Asians barely featured in social welfare statistics, he said.

"They are very stoically enduring a difficult time because they have a belief and a commitment to the good things in New Zealand.

"Asians are coming to New Zealand, not necessarily for the purpose of bettering themselves financially, they've come for the lifestyle, the cleanliness and the freedom. While they are the most discriminated against and earn least, they are the second most satisfied among the four main ethnic groups."

(Source The Press)

21/08/10 - NZ popular in world migration poll

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New Zealand's adult population would triple if everyone who wanted to move to this country was allowed to.

The finding comes in a Gallup poll of more than 300,000 people worldwide. Gallup calculated each country's net migration score - the number of adults who would like to leave minus the number who would like to move in.

At the bottom of the list is Sierra Leone in west Africa. If everyone who wanted to leave Sierra Leone could, and those who wanted to move there did, the country's population would fall by more than half.

(Source Newstalk ZB)

19/08/10 - Passport scam accused offers $100k to Haiti

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A man accused of running a passport scam is offering a $100,000 donation to the people of Haiti if charges against him are dropped.

Gerard Otimi is now facing 56 charges of altering a document to cause loss.

He told the district court in Manukau today that he was prepared to make a $100,000 donation to the victims of Haiti's January earthquake if police returned his confiscated money from the passport scam, believed to be about $51,000.

The trial is scheduled to go ahead despite the offer.

Outside court, Crown prosecuter Ross Burns said the offer "is not something the Crown would take into account when determining if proceedings would continue or not".

Earlier, Otimi, who was representing himself, told the court that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case as Maori had retained their sovereignty under the 1835 Declaration of Independence.

He described the Treaty of Waitangi as an immigration document that allowed white settlers to come to New Zealand.

Otimi said it had now been over a year since police laid charges and "nothing has happened".

"Nothing has happened at the last five hearings. In actual fact, it has become embarrassing - not to us but the whole country - as far as Maori are concerned."

Today's hearing was to decide whether a jury and a judge should hear his case or a judge alone.

Mr Burns said due to the length of the case, the Crown believed it should be heard by a judge alone.

During today's hearing, the gallery was packed with Otimi's supporters. Judge Gus Andree-Wiltens invited them to sit in the jury box.

Mr Burns joked: "Kia ora everybody. Yet again, I am outnumbered by Mr Otimi's whanau."

Judge Andree-Wiltens said Otimi's donation could not be considered by him unless the Crown wished to drop charges or Otimi pleaded guilty, neither of which happened today.

Otimi conceded that he had stamped the passports of illegal immigrants in order to help them out of a tough situation.

"It wasn't about funds, or money, or financial gains," he said. "Sure, I stamped the passports but I didn't alter it because then you wouldn't be able to use it - but they are still being used."

He told the judge to look at the New Zealand Coat of Arms, which hung at the front of the court and includes a British woman and a Maori warrior.

"That's the person I represent," he said, pointing to the warrior. "You are on the other side. We represent the two powers in New Zealand."

Both Otimi and Mr Burns acknowledged that many of their witnesses had been deported since charges were laid by police midway through last year.

"There's been a lot of damage done to me, my family and my hapu," said Otimi.

He said the trial could take two years and would be a waste of taxpayer money.

Judge Andree-Wiltens acknowledged that both he and Mr Burns were going grey and that Otimi was a "distinguished silver".

He "pencilled" in a date for trial for next February.

Judge Andree-Wiltens reserved his decision on whether or not Otimi would face trial by jury or judge alone.

Mr Burns said the trial could take as long as two months, with 60 to 70 witnesses called by both the Crown and Otimi. Many would need translators and Otimi has asked that proceedings take place in Te Reo Maori and English.

(Source Edward Gay, NZ Herald)

18/08/10 - Police search for Thai overstayer

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Western Bay of Plenty police are searching for a 26-year-old Thai man who has been living in New Zealand illegally for nearly two years.

Payeo Chaimat fled from police and Immigration officials at a rural Te Puke property about 7pm yesterday.

Chaimat was one of three Thai nationals who came to the country in August 2007 with a year-long work permit but never left.

"The three men were all located at this property, and were being spoken to by police and Immigration ... (when) one of the men ran away," Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Mike Clement said.

A police dog was brought in to track Chaimat, but the search was called off when conditions became hazardous, he said.

The search resumed at first light today, with the help of the Tauranga search and rescue team and a helicopter from Rotorua.

Mr Clement said Chaimat was wearing a light grey top, grey pants and shoes.

He speaks "understandable" English, he said.

(Source NZPA)

13/08/10 - NZ population rises to 4.37 million

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New Zealand's estimated population grew by 1.2 per cent to 4.37 million in the year to June 30, an increase of 51,900, Statistics New Zealand said today.

The growth was due to 35,400 more births than deaths and net migration of 16,500.

"Natural increase was 35,400, up 1000 from the June 2009 year, accounting for about two-thirds of population growth in the June 2010 year," population statistics manager Bridget Hamilton-Seymour said.

"Permanent and long-term arrivals exceeded departures by 16,500 in the latest year, compared with a net migration gain of 12,500 in the June 2009 year".

Half the male population was over 35.5 years of age and half of females over 37.6 - an increase of 2 years for males and 2.5 for females over the last 10 years, chief statistician Geoff Bascand said, indicating New Zealand's ageing population.

At June, there were 96 males for every 100 females.

(Source NZPA)

11/08/10 - Lifestyle No 1 reason for investor migrants - study

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New Zealand's lifestyle is more important than business and tax issues to migrants moving here, a study has found.

A dozen investor migrants and one investor's wife were interviewed for an Immigration New Zealand and Investment New Zealand-commissioned study aimed at finding messages to lure potential investor migrants.

"It is clear that this decision to migrate is a heart decision ... emotive topics were far more resonant for these migrants than facts and rationality," the report said.

"Business and tax issues came a distant second to lifestyle and community."

Thirty 30 potential messages were developed for the research, and the migrants were asked to select the message that appeal most strongly to them.

The top two messages were "New Zealand is a great place to bring up a family" and "New Zealand is a small country with a strong sense of community".

A message that strongly did not find favour at all was "Investing in New Zealand isn't about just relocating - it's about regenerating your business."

Any references made to "government" - such as one that said "The New Zealand Government understands it takes time to get your offshore tax affairs in order" - also didn't go down well.

Some said it was difficult to establish business networks.

"I've been here for one and a half years and am just finding my way in. It's a much smaller market and difficult to get established," one said.

"Children are a critical element in the migration decision," the report said.

"When young they are clearly an important motivating factor but by the time they hit the teen years they can become a barrier."

A senior marketing lecturer at Massey University, Dr Henry Chung, said the study confirmed what many already knew.

"The wealthy see the investor migrant category as a pathway to come to New Zealand, usually for the lifestyle or for their children, and not necessarily to do business or make money.

"New Zealand is such a small economy, and usually, a would-be business migrant would be better off staying put in their country of origin."

(Source Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald)

09/08/10 - Religion gives salvation for immigrants

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Korean immigrants are turning to Christianity for salvation and to improve their business and social lives, Massey University research has found.

About 90 per cent of almost 31,000 Koreans in New Zealand are regular churchgoers, despite Buddhism being the main religion of South Korea, where about a fifth of the population are Christians.

The Massey report, Kimchi Networks: Korean employers and employees in Auckland, co-authored by sociologists Carina Meares, Paul Spoonley and Robin Peace, found church support to be crucial for Koreans settling in New Zealand.

Dr Meares said most Christian denominations - including Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic - now had branches with Korean ministers and services in Korean.

People attending these churches did so for religious reasons, but also as a way to network for business and to find information and support.

New immigrant Sue Kim, 32, said the Korean Catholic community had been vital for providing information on immigration matters, housing and finding a school for her 7-year-old son.

"I am not a Christian, and I only started attending a Korean Catholic church because I didn't have any friends,"said Mrs Kim, who moved to New Zealand in June.

"But it is through people in the church that I have found a house to rent, school for my son and also how to sponsor my parents to come here."

The report said a magazine advertisement for a Korean church even said: "Which church you decide togo to determines your immigration success."

Koreans face many settlement issues, and many tell of a drop in income and job status, difficulties with English and finding it hard to be accepted by the wider community.

About 75 per cent of the 20 Korean employers and 20 employees interviewed said they had faced some form of discrimination.

"Customers occasionally come and say, 'Go back to your country'," said a respondent.

"When I walk in the streets, teenagers swear and spit at me."

Said another: "When I drive, people point out that I'm Asian and swear at me."

Earning less in New Zealand also meant many could not live the same lifestyles they were used to in South Korea.

"Compared to Korea, a bad thing is ... the income is low but expenses are high, I feel insecure financially," one said.

"In Korea, we went out for nice food every weekend but here we eat every single meal at home ... Here, if I buy something, I have to think it over 10 times. It's very different from who I was in Korea."

Koreans were the fastest-growing Asian group between 1986 and 1996 - rising from 400 to 12,653. At the last Census, Koreans numbered 30,792. Most of them live on Auckland's North Shore.

The report found Koreans, like the Chinese, relied heavily on their own networks and contacts for business and employment, although they expressed a strong desire to be fully integrated with mainstream society.

New arrivals flock to join

A lack of Koreans in immigrant settlement services is bringing more Korean immigrants to seek support from churches, says Pastor Israel Park.

Mr Park, 40, who is youth minister at Hanouri Presbyterian in Glenfield, New Zealand's largest Korean church, says membership numbers have swelled from 1000 to 1500 in five years.

Hundreds more also come to church for non-worship activities, such as language courses, music lessons and cooking classes.

"You find hardly any Koreans at the city council, immigration or the citizens advice bureau. So many feel out of place because they don't speak good English," Mr Park said.

"In church they feel at home, culturally and linguistically. That is why we feel the church should also be a community centre, and not just for worship."

Pita Jee, 47, who heads the community activities section, says some who take courses at the church end up starting their own businesses.

"We don't offer business courses, but those who take up cooking or flower arrangements do start their own restaurants and shops," Mr Jee said.

Auckland has more than 60 Korean churches.

The Kimichi Network report found churches are an important part of networking and support for Koreans.

(Source Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald)

06/08/10 - More asylum seekers, overstayers seek to stay in NZ

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Increasing numbers of asylum seekers, overstayers and illegal immigrants are trying to win the right to live in New Zealand, three new reports show.

The Refugee Status Appeals Authority, an independent body which reviews appeals lodged by those who are declined refugee status, released its annual report yesterday, with figures showing a big jump in numbers wanting to stay in the country.

The past year has seen numbers increased from 246 to 382, with Fijian nationals generating the most appeals, at 24.

Other countries with a high number of applicants were India (22), Iran (22), Sri Lanka (13), Czech Republic and Pakistan (both 10).

Iraq and Afghanistan, two countries involved in international conflicts, recorded low numbers of appeals, with six and five appeals respectively.

The Removal Review Authority also released its annual report, and it likewise showed an increase in appeals, up from 264 to 296.

This independent authority considers appeals from those living unlawfully in New Zealand. The authority upheld 31 appeals in the past year, of which nearly half were appeals for residence permits.

A third independent authority, the Residence Review Board, also recorded an increase in applications in its annual report.

The board considers appeals from those whose residence application is declined, and in the last year it received 440 appeals, compared with 358 in 2009.

Of these, 116 were successful, including 70 decisions where the original decision of Immigration New Zealand was deemed incorrect.

Thirty-nine decisions were referred to the Immigration Minister as an exception to policy.

This will be the final report from the three bodies, as under the Immigration Act 2009 they will be combined into one authority, the Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT).

The new tribunal will be overseen by the Ministry of Justice, and is planned as "one-stop shop" tribunal to consider all grounds for appeal.

It will begin hearing cases when the Immigration Act 2009 comes into effect, later this year.

Refugee Status Appeals Authority chairman Allan Mackey said in his report that it was regrettable the opportunity was not taken under the new Act to provide long-term "career" members dedicated to the field, with secure tenure.

He hoped many of the members of the authority would be appointed to the IPT so that it would benefit from their experience.

Members and the secretariat all faced uncertain futures, he said.

(Source Otago Daily Times)