No wonder NZIS is in a mess – it’s from the top down!
We have now just completed part 3 of the Official NZIS Complaints Procedure (the one they don’t want you to know about).
Well, given that stage two resulted in the most pointless whitewash, and a vague “oops sorry” and “I’ve taken these issues up with the Branch Manager”, we were as usual less than impressed and escalated it to the Deputy Secretary (Workforce) of the Department of Labour – one Andrew Annakin. (This is the same position held by the Infamous Mary-Anne Thompson). You see these were issues of serious misconduct.
His response? Basically – he’s happy with what they have so far said – and I can jump if I’m expecting any more. Even though the regional manager actually didn’t even start the investigation when he should have done – thinking that giving us the Visas would allow him to get away with doing nothing.
Well guess what – it’s not good enough. Mr Annakin – your staff lied. Not only to us, but to a Member of New Zealand’s parliament. We have proved this to you and yet neither you nor the regional manager has even commented on this, let alone disciplined the Case Officer involved. Your staff were bullying and abusive, and did not follow the procedures laid out in the Operation Manual. They did not follow the complaints process, and indeed denied us access to it. The medical assessor failed in over a year to even attempt to show that my Dad did not have an acceptable standard of health, and over 6 separate medical reports refused to listen to the specialists that repeatedly told him his health was actually very good. He also failed to follow the correct procedures, and yet again – nothing is going to be done about iother than he has been to improve the way he does assesments. Your staff knew he wasnt doing his job 9 months ago but told us it was our fault!
Your staff put my family through hell for 15 months because they did not want to do their job properly or efficiently, and kept hiding behind the fact that they are the Immigration Department, and as applicants we can’t stop them.
This needs to stop – and if the head of Immigration New Zealand will not do more than get the branch manager to have a word with them, them quite frankly it does not bode well for him overseeing the changes that need to be made in light of the Auditor Generals report. Many of the problems we encountered are highlighted in that report – and the Deputy Secretary doesn’t seem too bothered about it.
So – now it’s back to the Ombudsman – who is already looking at why NZIS have so far failed to publish the complaints procedure. I hope they will also take this more seriously that NZIS seems willing to. In constrast to this – during the time we were going through this – we also had to make a complaint against a member of staff in a Parlimentary office. The willingness of Parliamentary Srevices to take the issue seriusly and act on it could noit have been a bigger contrast. We were treated kindly and respectfully, and an employment investgation was started immediately and completed within 2 weeks. NZIS on the other hand have dragged this out for 6 months and still wont take action against the staff involved, other than to speak to thier managers.
In the meantime – we will soon be setting up a second blog on this site – something like a diary – showing day by day what we had to put up with and what was said to us. Names will be changed to save embarrassing the people who really ought to be embarrassed.
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Related posts:
- What is the NZIS Complaints Procedure?
- 10 things you need know if you are having problems with NZIS (INZ).
- Saga of an NZIS nightmare part 10 – A bit late to shut us up
Comments
5 Comments on No wonder NZIS is in a mess – it’s from the top down!
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Deborah on
Fri, 19th Jun 2009 5:01 pm
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Avalon on
Sat, 20th Jun 2009 10:07 am
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Deborah on
Sat, 20th Jun 2009 11:44 am
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Avalon on
Sat, 20th Jun 2009 10:13 pm
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Hubby on
Tue, 23rd Jun 2009 7:36 pm
Well done all of you for sticking with this!
Someone really needs to shake up and sort out NZIS. They cannot be allowed to play roulette with people’s lives like this any longer.
Hey – great to hear from you 
I didnt know you were reading this blog! Thanks for the support
Although there are days I do feel like letting it go – I dont think NZIS should be allowed to get away with this kind of behaviour – and I dont want to see another family have to face what we went through.
Hugs
Hxxx
Ha I’ve been lurking since the begining…….and soaking up all your very useful advice too, so cheers!
Don’t give up. How many other families are going through this now that we don’t know about?
It’s sad this has happened to you guys and it’s awful people are put in this position, but it’s brilliant that you’ve poked your head up and said “No more!” I can’t think of 2 better people to take on the ehmm ‘might’ 
of NZIS.
I just hope it does some good in the end. Mind you – if the complaints procedure ever gets published – I will be so chuffed That would be agood day alone
Well it’s not a surprise to find that the things NZIS didn’t want to cover in their response to our issues, are exactly what the Auditor General says is wrong with NZIS.
See Avalons’ post here – http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2009/06/the-auditor-generals-report/
And the OAG’s report here (interestingly enough it’s not easy to search for these reports – burying bad news or am I just too cynical?)
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