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Peters says heads must roll over immigrant
Peters says heads must roll over immigrant
| Published: | 9 Apr at 6 PM |
Winston Peters, the first leader of New Zealand, says heads must roll over the bureaucratic bungling which resulted in an illegal immigrant who was banned from the country still receiving $360 a week in sickness benefits, reports NewstalkZB.
Salam Mansoor Abdelabbas Al-Bawi was given a six-month home detention sentence in 2008, after confessing to lying to authorities in order to receive refugee status, a passport in another name, residency and citizenship. According to the New Zealand Herald, the Iraqi man had already gained Danish residency, as well as a kidnapping conviction which he had not declared.
Mr Peters claims those responsible for these bungles need to be looked at and that people at the top should be fired. He described it as an “absolute mess”, and said that the country seems unable to administer a system that the majority of other developed countries can.
Al-Bawi’s New Zealand passport was cancelled and his citizenship revoked, but Work and Income insists it knew nothing about it. The department said Al-Bawi only received $2,500 in overpayments. Spokeswoman Janet Grossman stated that they are looking into the matter alongside the Department of Internal Affairs and Immigration New Zealand. She claimed that if Al-Bawi was to return to the country they would pursue the due amount until it was repaid.
Salam Mansoor Abdelabbas Al-Bawi was given a six-month home detention sentence in 2008, after confessing to lying to authorities in order to receive refugee status, a passport in another name, residency and citizenship. According to the New Zealand Herald, the Iraqi man had already gained Danish residency, as well as a kidnapping conviction which he had not declared.
Mr Peters claims those responsible for these bungles need to be looked at and that people at the top should be fired. He described it as an “absolute mess”, and said that the country seems unable to administer a system that the majority of other developed countries can.
Al-Bawi’s New Zealand passport was cancelled and his citizenship revoked, but Work and Income insists it knew nothing about it. The department said Al-Bawi only received $2,500 in overpayments. Spokeswoman Janet Grossman stated that they are looking into the matter alongside the Department of Internal Affairs and Immigration New Zealand. She claimed that if Al-Bawi was to return to the country they would pursue the due amount until it was repaid.
