Minister's flip-flop on Tyson visa yet another debacle

The Immigration Minister’s sudden flip-flop over the Mike Tyson visa is just another fiasco and an example of how this Government has taken its eye off the ball, says Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Darien Fenton.

“Kate Wilkinson’s handling of this case has been utterly hopeless. She’s simply not up to the job.

“First she granted Mike Tyson a special exemption despite his conviction for rape because he supposedly had the support of the Life Education Trust. Then it turns out she never actually checked the validity of that support which had come from a volunteer, not the agency’s board.

“That is sloppy and embarrassing not only for the Government but for our reputation internationally when visas are granted on dodgy grounds and then suddenly revoked.

“The Prime Minister is no better. The issue of whether Mike Tyson should be granted a visa has been in the media for weeks, yet obviously there was no communication with between John Key and his Minister until it became public.

“The Government’s political management is just shoddy at the moment. It is not paying attention to the issues that matter. New Zealanders expect better,” said Darien Fenton.