The whanau of an Indian man married to a Maori woman protested in Parliament today and called on MPs to help get him back to New Zealand to re-join his whanau.
Tuariki Delamere. Photo: RNZ
At one point, 12 security guards were in the gallery trying to put an end to the demonstration by more than a dozen members of Ranjeet and Lisa Singh's whanau on Tuesday. The dispute in the public gallery went on for about five minutes.
Mrs Singh, a Raukawa and Tuwharetoa descendant, told reporters she had gone to Parliament for help because she had done all she could to get her husband home, including appealing to Associate Immigration Minister Nikki Kaye.
Mr Singh was denied entry back to New Zealand in October last year after Immigration Services in New Delhi revoked his visa to return.
It was revoked because, despite being married for six years and having a young son, Immigration New Zealand did not not regard the marriage as legitimate, Mrs Singh said.
Former Immigration Minister and family spokesperson Tuariki Delamere said it was up to officials here to prove Mrs Singh's relationship was not genuine.
Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said he would consult his officials about the case.
