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I’d like to start by thanking the hosts of this conference – the Salvation Army, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, and the New Zealand Police – for inviting me to open the two day Prevent People Trafficking Conference. 

Mr Speaker, I move that the Immigration Amendment Bill (No 2) be now read a first time. 

I nominate the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee to consider the Bill.

Good morning and thank you for asking me along to speak to your conference today.

I want to start by acknowledging Peter Townsend, MC for the Conference, and Walter Stone, Chairman of your Association. It’s very important for me to come here to address you as members of New Zealand’s largest immigration adviser association. Developing and maintaining a good relationship with key stakeholders such as the NZAMI is crucial in ensuring we work as collegially and constructively as possible towards our goal of bringing the best people to New Zealand.

It’s an honour for me to be invited here today to open your 11th annual conference. I’m sure you will have some fruitful and robust discussions over the next couple of days.

Having been Minister of Immigration for just over six months now I’ve been doing plenty of reflection on immigration policy and process and I want to talk to you today about my priorities as Minister of Immigration and the practical measures the Government is taking to deal with some of the key issues we are facing.

I’d like to welcome all the conference participants especially those who travelled from outside Wellington. I am very aware of the efforts you made to take time out from your busy work schedules and family lives to be here. Good morning everyone.

Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my pleasure and honour to be here today and it is timely for me as Minister of Immigration to be addressing your conference, so thank you Peter and Geoff for inviting me.

It’s a real privilege for me to welcome you all to your new home in New Zealand.

We owe you a huge debt of gratitude for your sterling work with the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the New Zealand Police through EUPOL in Afghanistan over the past 10 years. Our personnel would not have been able to have done their work effectively without the invaluable help you provided on the ground.

Thank you for inviting me to be here today. I want to start by acknowledging the co-hosts of the Prevent People Trafficking Conference - the Salvation Army, ECPAT Child Alert, and the U.S. Embassy.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Marie Damour, for the American Government’s significant contribution to tackling this extremely critical issue.

America takes the issue of people trafficking very seriously. So does New Zealand.

Thank you for your warm welcome and thank you all for the opportunity to speak to you today and to meet members of NZAMI.

As New Zealand’s largest immigration adviser association you play a very important part in advising, supporting, advocating and helping migrants with settlement, and I thank you for the good work you do.

You will be aware that consultation is underway on the review of the Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct and licensed advisers have been invited to submit their views.

I’m very pleased to be here today to launch the Refugee Resettlement Strategy.

Overall, we do well with our settlement of refugees but I’m convinced we can do even better.

The Refugee Resettlement Strategy is a fresh approach in how we look after new refugees and help them settle into New Zealand life.

I know that a number of you here today have been involved in the strategy and I want to thank you for your input.

Good morning and thank you for giving me the opportunity of opening your Conference today. 

As you know this conference receives funding from the Labour and Immigration Research Centre at the Ministry of Business, innovation and Employment.

So I want to focus today on some of their research and how it helps shape Government policy and thinking. This research is very important to us as we work to increase the contribution that immigration makes to New Zealand’s economy and society.

Good morning and thank you for asking me along to speak to your conference today.

Can I acknowledge Tuariki Delamere, MC for the Conference, and Simon Laurent, Chairman of NZAMI.

Today I want to speak to you about a range of important immigration issues that I’ve been working on as Minister over the last nine months since I took on this very important portfolio.

In particular I want to touch on:

Good morning and thank you for giving me the opportunity to address you today. It’s been an eventful few weeks in the immigration space and I’ve certainly learned that there’s never a dull moment when you’re looking after the immigration portfolio!

Good afternoon and thank you for asking me to say a few words today. It’s great to be here to celebrate two significant milestones for Immigration New Zealand.

I’m sure most of us here today know what a major contribution immigration makes to New Zealand’s economy and society.

Immigration creates jobs by encouraging innovation, deepening our links with international markets and providing the capital and skills we need for growth.

Thank you very much for inviting me to be here today.

This is an important event because export education is such an important contributor to the economy, and an important priority for us as a Government.

In fact it’s now our 5^th largest export industry, worth around $2.3 billion a year to the economy. 

Good morning and thank you for inviting me today.

Firstly I would like to acknowledge RSE Employers, Growers and Contractors here today. Thank you for your work in making the RSE scheme a success over the last five years.

I also want to acknowledge the government officials and organisations here today who have also worked hard on this programme.

Thanks also to Peter Silcock, Chairman Geoff Lewis and the Horticulture New Zealand staff and their supporters, who have worked hard to make this conference happen.

I am pleased to attend the launch today of STOP THE TRAFFIK Aotearoa New Zealand.

This newly formed network shows a commitment to effective, coordinated anti-trafficking efforts by NGOs, service providers and other interested parties.

People trafficking is an abhorrent crime. It is also very distinct from people smuggling. People smuggling is voluntary illegal migration. It is a violation of nation’s borders.

Welcome. It is my great pleasure to be hosting this breakfast today to acknowledge World Refugee Day, which occurs a week from today.

I would like to pass on my thanks to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Refugee Services Aotearoa New Zealand, who have initiated this event. I would especially like to welcome from Australia Mr Rick Towle, the Regional Representative from the UNHCR.

I would also like to acknowledge the other Members of Parliament present here today and distinguished guests.

World Refugee Day

Thank you for your invitation to speak here today. I want to acknowledge the 3,400 New Zealanders who served in Vietnam from 1964 to 1972. On behalf of the New Zealand Government, thank you for your sacrifice and your efforts.

I particularly want to pay tribute to the 37 who died in active service, the 187 who were wounded and many more who suffered long term effects.

Good morning everyone and thank you for inviting me along today. This forum is a great opportunity to connect with representatives from the refugee community, and the key people involved in helping refugees settle in New Zealand.

International reputation

New Zealand has a good record in receiving refugees and our nation’s contribution is well recognised internationally.

Good morning - I’ve been asked to talk to you about my role and where I see the dairy industry heading in the future.

As the Associate Minister I’ll be working closely with my colleague David Carter, and in particular on forestry issues which will be a challenge I’m looking forward to.

I’m also the Minister of Immigration, Racing, and Veterans Affairs. Immigration has some important connections with the Dairy industry, which I’ll say a few words about later.

Good morning. It’s great to be here today as the new Minister of Immigration for the launch of your Vision for 2015.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to meet senior managers at Immigration New Zealand and share with you some of my thoughts about the Government’s priorities for immigration over the next three years.

Turnaround of INZ over last three years

Ladies and Gentlemen - welcome to Auckland, the City of Sails.  I hope you have a chance to explore the city and perhaps see a bit more of New Zealand after this workshop.

I would like to acknowledge our guests from overseas today, particularly the Indonesian Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Antonius Agus Sriyono. Welcome to you all.

For those who haven’t been here before, New Zealand has a lot to offer. For a small country we have a huge variety of landscapes, scenery and attractions.