National Immigration spokesperson Marie Hasler has written to the State Services Commissioner requesting a formal inquiry into the truthfulness of the Minister of Immigration's allegations against members of the New Zealand Immigration Service.

"I have asked the Commissioner to instigate an immediate formal departmental inquiry into the effect and truth of the Minister's allegations that 'It (NZIS) has let this House and this country down' and 'my own officials have not even told me the truth'.

"Sir Geoffrey Palmer put on record that 'the idea of Ministerial responsibility is one of the great protections of our constitutional system'. Ms Dalziel's allegations against her own department are serious. New Zealanders need to know the truth or otherwise of her allegations.

"If Cabinet has taken collective responsibility over this issue, then it is even more important that the truth be established.

"There has been no undertaking by the Minister of Immigration, or any Minister for that matter, to publicly establish the exact facts that led to the Minister's unprecedented accusations.

"If the allegations are true, then the Minister must take action with the General Manager of the Immigration Service. If they can't be proven, then the Minister herself is guilty of gross misconduct," Ms Hasler said.

Ends

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