More on Liu case
November 9th, 2012 at 1:00 pm by David FarrarJared Savage at NZ Herald reports:
Immigration officials questioned the decision to grant a wealthy businessman citizenship while he was under investigation by three government agencies, emails reveal.
Labour MP Shane Jones, then a Cabinet minister, awarded citizenship to Yang Liu against the advice of a senior investigator at the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). …
Emails obtained under the Official Information Act reveal a senior Immigration NZ investigator wrote to Mr Ross after learning of the decision.
Russell Ogilvy asked whether Mr Ross recommended that citizenship be declined and whether he had told Mr Jones “to speak with his own department regarding the decision”.
Mr Jones was the Acting Internal Affairs Minister in this case but also the Associate Immigration Minister.
“The minister was advised of both the pending police and INZ investigations,” responded Mr Ross.
Yet not only granted citizenship, but approved the special ceremony:
The emails also reveal that Mr Jones granted Mr Liu an urgent private ceremony at the request of Labour MP Dover Samuels, despite the advice of another DIA official that he did not meet the criteria.
Criteria only apply to people who are not friends of the Labour Party.
Related posts:
- The Yang Liu case
- The Liu trial
- Liu arrested
- Yang Liu’s private VIP citizenship ceremony in Parliament
November 9th, 2012 at 1:07 pm
That man bought himself citizenship. And yet, somehow, we are one of the least corrupt countries in the world. When will someone finally be allowed to say the Emperor has no clothes?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
No corruption in NZ politics. Of course not. No MPs taking brown paper bags filled with used notes. No of course not. All MP are pure as the driven snow. Lilly white all of them. NOT
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
“Criteria only apply to people who are not friends of the Labour Party.”
Stones in glass houses, David. The list of favours National members have been found to have done for their own friends and contributors would not be a short one
[DPF: Okay name one instance since Muldoon was PM when a National Minister has made a decision to benefit an individual who was a donor to National MPs, with the decision being one that was totally against what the official advice was]
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
What we need but wont get is Royal Commission of Inquiry with three retired High Court Judges with the right to call to account then accussed and deamnd they tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Oh I forgot. We are dealing with Nz politicans. Truth is an oxymoron to them.
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Nothing new in this recycled story. What DPF apparently wants to see is Ministers rubber-stamping advice. Which begs the question: why don’t we have unelected officials running the country? We could do away with 120 MPs if that were the case.
[DPF: The brave Ross defends selling citizenships for donations. Well done you principled person]
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
Stones in glass houses, Brad. Are you saying it’s ok for National to grant favours to friends and contributors as long as we ignore the Liu case?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Well, you’ve convinced me that Labour don’t deserve to be in power.
Now, persaude me that National *does*. A good start would be taking this sort of thing seriously, and actually doing something about corruption – no matter what side of the political spectrum it comes from.
If National don’t take something like this seriously, why on earth should the voter take them seriously?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
If this is not corruption, what is?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
> If this is not corruption, what is?
Oh I dunno, taking $50k from Kim Dotcom and pretending that it didn’t happen, all the while lying to the media and lying to the PM?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Anyone seen Penny?
Vote:This one must have wafted tantalisingly close to her usuually sensitive corruption sensor. Or doesn’t it count when her mates do it?
November 9th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Nookin, I saw a comment from her on NBR (http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/truths-slater-goes-attack-ja-132001) complaining about being banned from Whaleoil. Made my morning.
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
For the first time, I agree with you ross69.
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
The NZ Labour Party had to sell citizenships because they didn’t have the Peerages that Tony Blair was able to flog.
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
@ Ross69 – Jones approved Liu’s citizenship despite:
Is this the standard of decision-making that you are comfortable with from Ministers?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
[DPF: The brave Ross defends selling citizenships for donations. Well done you principled person]
I presume you’ve given the Auditor-General evidence of this apparent scam…
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
ross69, are you being deliberately batshit?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
So ross69 has redefined the role of the Minister of the Crown to “ignoring official advice, so that the public can be sure that unelected officials do not make decisions.”
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
So ross69 sees that John Banks operating within the law is corrupt, but that Shane Jones operating within the law and ignoring official advice is just the appropriate’ showing the underlings just who is the boss here.’
Do you have a particular political party preference to disclose ross69?
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
@ross69: Best check your letterbox – your application for lifetime membership of the Morons Club must be approved by now… there’s no need for any debate whether you meet the criteria!
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
PETAL”That man bought himself citizenship. And yet, somehow, we are one of the least corrupt countries in the world. ”
Yep and NZ has the best education system in the world, and Kim HILL from Red Radio is the most outstanding interviewer in the world.
Ross 69 has a real downer on Len Brown doesn’t he.
Vote: