6 Jun 2018
Immigration denies visa of marae worker
Former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere says a woman who works at a marae has been unfairly denied a work visa, because the Immigration officer is anti-Maori and racist. He says the 30-year old woman has to leave the country because the officer says she doesn't do the work of a restaurant manager at Awataha Marae, such as plan a kitchen menu for guests. Mr Delamere says it's racist to think a marae doesn't plan a menu and has lodged a formal complaint. RNZ Maori news correspondent Leigh-Marama McLachlan reports.