“Immigration Minister Michael Wood’s grandstanding about how he wishes he could intervene in the Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull case is nothing more than performative politics. The law says he could have intervened if he wanted to,” says ACT’s Immigration spokesperson James McDowall.

“Immigration New Zealand did its job. It seems to understand that in a healthy society people should be able to debate ideas that are unpopular and offensive. Wood took offense with this decision and threw his officials under the bus by saying “I would prefer it if Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull never set foot in New Zealand… I have been advised that this case does not meet the threshold for Ministerial intervention.”

“That’s not what the law says though, his comments are at odds with s109 of the Immigration Act which states ‘The Minister or, subject to any special direction, an immigration officer may, in his or her discretion refuse the holder of a temporary entry class visa entry permission.’

“Just like Stuart Nash last week, it seems Labour Ministers either aren’t that up with the law or deliberately misinterpret it to suit their political arguments. ACT keeps having to point out when they get it wrong as well.

“Michael Wood loves accusing other people of spreading misinformation, last year he accused MPs speaking in opposition to his so-called ‘Fair Pay Agreements’ of spreading “misinformation and scaremongering.” Perhaps he should consider that next time he himself misrepresents the law.”

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