Samoans ‘fleeced’ by Government for up to $250,000

The National Government has failed for more than a year to reimburse most of 1800 Samoans for up to $250,000 they have been over-charged under the Immigration Regulations, says Labour’s Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio.

“The individual reimbursements might seem trivial to National, but they are not trivial to Samoan families struggling to make ends meet,” Su’a William Sio said.

“When people who genuinely don’t have much money are denied even a few dollars that are rightfully theirs, then that really hurts.”

Su’a William Sio said National received advice from the Labour Department in August 2009 to reimburse the overcharged money. Its legal advice recommended a proactive approach to fixing a fee error which occurred from November 2005 to July 2009 when Samoan citizens applied for New Zealand residence.

Two discounts, a $90 Settlement Information Fee and $300 Migrant Levy, were incorrectly and unlawfully charged during the period. More than 1300 applicants were charged the $90 fee, even though they were exempt, a total of $117,000, while up to 500 applicants were charged the levy, from which they were also exempt, bringing total overpayments to more than $250,000.

Su’a William Sio said the Labour Department set out three options to redress the situation --- running an advertising campaign, writing to all applicants at their last known address, or taking no action at all.

“The Government decided initially to take no action, even though the department pointed out that the overcharging had no basis in law, and that this could be seen as not providing a ‘fair remedy’. It certainly isn’t fair as far as I am concerned.

“Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman told Parliament today that the Government received advice in December last year, four months after the first advice was actually received. Since then the Government has managed to contact less than half the individuals concerned. That is simply not good enough.

“Members of the Samoan community have paid the fees in good faith, but haven’t been shown good faith in return. The Government must take immediate action to reimburse them all. If it doesn’t, its commitment to the largest of New Zealand’s Pacific Island communities will be thrown into serious question.

“There have been two errors --- the first an administrative error, but the second and far more important an error of judgement by John Key’s Government. There has been one loser --- the Samoan community.”

ENDS

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