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Shearer 'hypocrite' over Jones case - PM

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Shearer 'hypocrite' over Jones case - PM

3News NZ

Shane Jones is at the centre of a potential immigration scandal

Shane Jones is at the centre of a potential immigration scandal

Labour leader David Shearer is being accused of hypocrisy after accepting an MP at his word over a potential immigration scandal while demanding a higher standard from Prime Minister John Key.

Mr Shearer says he sought and received assurances from Labour MP Shane Jones that he followed proper process when granting citizenship to a fraud-accused Chinese millionaire as associate immigration minister in 2008.

Yong Ming Yan, also known as Bill Liu, is on trial in the High Court at Auckland on four charges of using false declarations on immigration papers in 2001 and 2002, and one charge of using false written statements to get citizenship.

The court last week heard that Yan boasted to immigration officials that his connections with MPs would ensure he got New Zealand citizenship, and that he was going to take the MPs to China.

His application was rubber-stamped by Mr Jones, despite advice from Department of Internal Affairs officials that he did not meet the good character test.

Yan was also red-flagged by Interpol.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Shearer said he had looked at the information Mr Jones had about the application, and it appeared the process was "considered and proper", and Mr Jones felt immigration officials had not established a clear case against Yan.

Mr Shearer previously demanded Mr Key stand down his ministers Nick Smith and John Banks while their conduct was investigated, instead of taking them at their word - and Mr Key says now the tables have turned, Mr Shearer is a hypocrite.

"He talks tough, but the first situation ... he's simply taken the guy at his word," Mr Key said.

"I'm not questioning Shane Jones' word, I was always very cautious as leader of the opposition before I leapt in and criticised others, and David Shearer hasn't been."

NZN

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Comments

23/05/2012 11:59:58 a.m.

Paora wrote:

Seems some people are so confuddled they like to pass on half truths and innuendo because they have no sustainable anti-Govt. 'dirt' to spread. First 'Bruce' trots out Dotcoms minor misdemeanors in his native Germany that were so minor they were expunged from German Conviction Records years ago and then introduces 'Copyright Piracy' possibilities that are no more than unproven vexatious claims. Then 'Tom O'Toole' claims something that doesn't exist. While I think most people agree Banks created his own bad press by claiming to have forgotten things too memorable for most people to forget, he never broke any Local Body rules on 'donations' and has not breached any Govt rules either, so there is no case to answer there, certainly not by PM Key. On the other hand, Jones used his Labour Ministers position to give preferential treatment to override Immigration Official advice against giving the fast-track citizenship Jones approved, to a fraud-accused migrant with Red-Flagged Interpol warnings and described as of 'dubious character'. The big difference in this case was the migrant boasted about having Government backing for citizenship after he had coincidentally donated large sums of money to the Labour party. Strange that, or is it? Clearly, Jones was deeply involved in a big conflict of interest here and must be stood down immediately. Sorry, 'Bruce', as the saying goes, "There's none so blind as they who cannot see." You may be the perfect example of the 'Blind leading the blind'. Apart from anti-Govt. bloggers like yourself, the only additional hypocrite between Shearer and Key, is certainly not Key.

22/05/2012 2:00:02 p.m.

Tom O'Toole wrote:

What is it with Key, Shane Jones's thing is no where near as drastic as Banks muck up. Banks knew exactly what was going on and Key knows that, he is dodging the issue and trying to take the heat off Banks and his Government by passing the Buck because he has a slim majority which if Banks goes will possibly mess up the asset sale vote.

22/05/2012 12:36:05 p.m.

Richard wrote:

Shearer had one shot to display credibility and strong leadership. All gone now. Labour and Shearer are truly dead.

22/05/2012 11:42:32 a.m.

Bruce wrote:

How hypocritical of Key to accuse Shearer of hypocrisy. If Shearer should stand Shane Jones down. The why did Key not stand down Jonathon Coleman in 2010, when Coleman authorised the immigration for kim Dotcom who has convictions in Germany and is now accused on copyright piracy. Key's short memory is making him look a complete fool.

22/05/2012 10:32:46 a.m.

DB wrote:

It just seems to me that while these two fools of the large parties battle like school children, the smaller parties are sitting back and lapping up the sunshine. Losers out of all this = National and Labour. Winners out of all this = Mana, Maori, Greens and NZFirst. Mark my words and watch the polls.

22/05/2012 10:08:40 a.m.

Huang wrote:

Strange! I would have thought giving it "due process" means allowing the application to go through normal processing and timing, NOT "fast tracked" and having a special ceremony.

22/05/2012 8:52:22 a.m.

David wrote:

I'm sure that small minded idiots like Mike and Chris will be on to talk about nonsense that isnt related to the story... some theory about labour being the most racist party or some such nonsense... even though maori more closely affiliate themselves with labour and have for decades.. ie, the Ratana church. They will talk about things that happened 50 to 100 years ago.. forget to mention Nationals history with Maori.. like Don Brash and orewa, or Paul Henry etc What they wont mention is Kim Dotcom, a convicted fraudster... before he even entered the country charges were laid in Hong Kong and Germany for embezzelment and insider trading. They wont mention John Keys support of John Banks... who was a "special friend" of Kim dotcoms. John Key is the one being hypocritical here... while he holds onto John Banks.