PM wants reversal of policy setting

A visa policy that angered New Zealand’s Indian community with its impact on arranged marriages should be reversed, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

The call follows reports that NZ First leader Winston Peters claimed credit for a government directive to stop waiving requirements, such as couples needing to have lived together for 12 months – a test that Indian couples in arranged marriages can’t meet.

Yesterday Ardern said Immigration NZ made the carte blanche changes, off its own back and not under the authority of Cabinet. ‘‘Of course what we are looking for is a return to the status quo … Our expectation is that we return to the way we were operating prior to the changes.’’

An intervention came after mounting anger and frustration from the Kiwi Indian community at the recent policy changes.

A backlash followed comments made by NZ First MP Shane Jones on the changes, when he told Radio NZ that those who didn’t like the policy should go ‘‘home’’.

‘‘In my view, to bring your whole village to New Zealand and if you don’t like it and you are threatening to go home – catch the next flight home,’’ he said.

Ardern said the three parties in the coalition Government had different perspectives on immigration issues. Jones has made no apology for his comments, which the Indian community have called ‘‘racist’’.

Jones told Stuff on Tuesday he was speaking on behalf of ‘‘battalions’’ of ‘‘ordinary Kiwis who were highly anxious’’ about population growth putting stress on state services and infrastructure.

He wanted to see a tougher crackdown on immigration, with a national population policy, and would raise it with his caucus.

Yesterday he said that after a conversation with Finance Minister Grant Robertson he fully accepted Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway was the statutory decision-maker.

Jones would take his deeper concerns to his NZ First caucus and its position was not beholden to anyone, he said.

Most of his concerns on the population issues would be an item of great interest in campaigning policy at next year’s election, he said.

An Immigration NZ spokeswoman said it was aware of concerns raised by the Indian community and confirmed the decision was made by Immigration NZ and was not a directive by the Government.

The change was made to ensure immigration instructions were being applied consistently and appropriately, she said.

‘‘We are currently looking at our approach to culturally arranged marriages.’’