M.P. claims bill has oppression potential

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 4

M.P. claims bill has oppression potential

PA Wellington The Immigration Bill before Parliament could easily turn into an instrument of oppression if passed in its present form, a Labour member of Parliament said last evening. Mr David Caygill, member for St Albans, said the bill was a mess which “posed a dangerous threat to the civil liberties of those in New Zealand who are already vulnerable.” A Labour government would review the whole act to ensure that immigration procedures were fair and that people’s civil liberties were properly protected, he said In an address to a meeting organised by the Otara ' Labour Electorate Committee in Auckland.

Mr Caygill said the bill was authoritarian and he

advised the Minister of Immigration, Mr Malcolm, to "start again.” The bill in its present form was certainly unacceptable. No strong argument had been given for it — “the real reason seems to be that the Minister of Immigration is tired of ’losing court cases. “There is an increasing tendency for this Government to respond to criticism with anger,” he said. “If that continues we will have a dictatorship rather than a democracy.” Mr Caygill was strongly critical of the Minister’s powers under the bill, saying the Minister obviously believed the rules should be tightened to make it more difficult for people he believed ought not to be in New Zealand to stay.

“The main way in which he intends to achieve that aim is by adding to his aiready-considerable power,” Mr Caygill said. He believed it essential that the Minister be provided with guidelines on how to make decisions on granting permits. Mr Caygill said an attempt was also being made to narrow the extent of future judicial reviews. The bill also changed the rights of permanent residents, changes which did not appear to be necessary. “Most important, some of the rights of people who are at present permanent residents appear to have been taken away by the bill,” he said. “The Government must make clear how it intends to treat people who now

have what they regard as a right to ‘permanent residence.’ “I understand that concern about changes to permanent residence has led to an increase in the number of people applying for New Zealand citizenship. That should be a matter of grave concern to New Zealanders. “Something as fundamental as citizenship must be a matter of choice. No-one should be influenced by fear in their choice of citizenship.” Mr Caygill also said the bill gave increased powers to immigration officials, including the power to arrest people. “It is a serious step indeed to extend that power beyond the police to officials in other departments,” he said.