Kiwiblog

The HoS reports:

Beauty pageant winner-in-limbo Avianca Bohm was spotted out shopping yesterday, apparently with time on her hands as a dispute over her eligibility is sorted out.

The newly crowned Miss Universe New Zealand may be stripped of her tiara because she was born in South African and is not yet a New Zealander. She has yet to fulfil any assignments as the crown holder. Yesterday, she told the Herald on Sunday she could not comment. However, a friend said the 22-year-old was looking forward to the situation being resolved and she was remaining positive.

The waitress has called in lawyers after being told to give up her tiara by organisers. The Herald reported pageant director Val Lott delivered a letter to Bohm, advising her that she was ineligible to represent New Zealand.

Miss Bohm should file a dispute with the WTO, claiming barring her is a trade barrier against South Africa.

It is understood Bohm’s citizenship is unlikely to come through in time for Donald Trump’s Miss Universe pageant.

Why not? If Bill Liu can get his, why not Avianca Bohm? A quick citizenship decision by the Government could be a popular move!

The Herald reported:

Australian-born Miss Otago Monique Cooley assumed she qualified for Miss New Zealand automatically after living here for 12 years.

The Queenstown 22-year-old has been dragged into a beauty contest citizenship row after it was revealed newly crowned Miss Universe New Zealand Avianca Bohm may be stripped of her tiara because she is a South African.

Organisers today revealed Miss Cooley, the third runner up, was also ineligible for the crown because she is an Australian.

Australian-born Miss Otago Monique Cooley assumed she qualified for Miss New Zealand automatically after living here for 12 years.

The Queenstown 22-year-old has been dragged into a beauty contest citizenship row after it was revealed newly crowned Miss Universe New Zealand Avianca Bohm may be stripped of her tiara because she is a South African.

Organisers today revealed Miss Cooley, the third runner up, was also ineligible for the crown because she is an Australian.

No, no, no. Citizenship s only automatically granted if you donate to Labour.

The Herald reports:

Police have charged a multi-millionaire businessman, who was granted New Zealand citizenship in controversial circumstances, with making false declarations on immigration papers and using fake identities to obtain a passport.

Yong Ming Yan – also known as Bill Liu, Yang Liu and William Yan – was supported in his citizenship bid last year by Labour MPs Dover Samuels and Chris Carter, and National MP Pansy Wong.

To be fair to Chris Carter and Pansy, they had no idea he was dodgy. Dover did know of the allegations but chose not to believe them. But most of all Shane Jones had all the details from his departments about Liu, including a very firm recommendation that he not be given citizenship. In fact even then they were talking about prosecuting him.

He appeared in Manukau District Court, and is facing 12 charges in relation to false declarations on his immigration papers, having false passports and using deception to gain citizenship.

Yan entered no plea to eight charges under the Crimes Act, two under the Passport Act and one under each under the Immigration Act and Citizenship Act.

And authorities have obviously decided there are sufficient ground to prosecute.

He was granted citizenship in a VIP ceremony in Wellington last year after lobbying from former Labour MP Dover Samuels, who regards him as a close friend.

Rick Barker, the then Internal Affairs Minister charged with approving citizenship applications, was also on the list of politicians who knew Yan. Because of this, he passed the file to another minister, Shane Jones.

Mr Jones overruled Internal Affairs advice that Liu – now Yan – did not meet character requirements and granted him citizenship.

Mr Jones, now the Opposition spokesman for economic development and the environment, last night declined to comment.

Sooner or later Jones need to explain why he over-rode the advice from officials. Citizenship is not a right for people not born here, and those who get it should be of sound character. DIA did not think he was. Was Jones influenced by Liu’s donations to political parties and candidates? Was he convinced by his mate’s lobbying? Whatever it was, we need to know. If Liu is convicted, there should be a formal external inquiry into why he was granted citizenship.

The HoS has more details on Yang Liu:

• donated $5,000 to Cabinet minister Chris Carter’s Te Atatu electorate
• donated $5,000 to National
• Had letters of support from Dover Samuels and Pansy Wong. Wong says she never knew of the issues around his past, while Samuels does (but not sure when) and says they are politically motivated from China
• His citizenship application took three years to approve as officials were against it, but SHane Jones granted it, over-riding his officials
• Liu was wanted in China for alleged embezzlement
• Charged in Australia with operating bank accounts under a false name and in November 2006, the Supreme Court of New South Wales ordered Liu to forfeit more than $3.3 million

Liu’s restaurant has hosted fundraisers for Asian candidates from Labour, National and ACT. It seems clear that he built up connections across the political spectrum. The two key issues are:

1. Did any MP write a letter of support knowing about the false passports, the court orders in Australia?
2. Why did Shane Jones grant him citizenship?

Labour’s official billboard.

Labour’s new billboard done by Whale and myself to reflect the citizenship scandal

Is there anything not for sale by Labour? Taito Field was allegedly selling off immigration permits in exchange for free work on houses, and now we have allegedly privileged treatment given to an applicant for citizenship who was a Labour party donor.

Just listened to Ian Wishart on Newstalk ZB with Larry Williams. The story seems to be:

1. A Chinese gentleman has had problems with Australian immigration as he travels under different names, different passports with different dates of births.
2. This was known to NZ authorities
3. He applied to be a NZ Citizen
4. DIA recommended he be turned down due to the multiple aliases
5. The Minister approved it, despite the dodgy aliases and the recommendation
6. The gentleman’s application was supported by a Labour MP and is known to a couple of Ministers
7. He attended a fundraising function for Labour and probably donated to them, but impossible to know for sure as they do not record who donated what – people just throw cash into a hat or something.

This is all off listening to Ian on the radio.