Wow – we actually did it!

July 31, 2009 by
Filed under: NZIS & Immigration issues, The Family Sponsorship Saga 

I’m absolutely bloody chuffed to be able to say that Immigration New Zealand have now (at last) published their own complaints procedure on the NZIS website. (Updated 21st July 2009). (Updated with the corect link since INZ sneakily “lost” the published process.)

grin
The only slight problem is that it doesn’t actually match the complaints process as outlined by the Ombudsman (I published that as written here).

But ho hum – it’s at least a step in the right direction, and I’m hoping I will be able to get confirmation from the Ombudsman that following the process as now published will mean that they will investigate any complaints that are unresolved. They have even (thoughtfully) provided a PDF document detailing the process.

There is now even a special email address you can use to contact the Deputy Secretary (Workforce) with your complaint if  it isn’t sorted by the branch manager. It’s just a pity he didn’t want to deal with our complaint.

depseccomplaints@dol.govt.nz

Even though we still have not had a resolution to the complaint we have made about the behavior of the Family Residence Team and Branch manager at London NZIS, it is a great relief to know that all the stress and grief we went through has at least resulted in some progress – and hopefully an easier time of it for future migrants.

Never doubt that you can make things happen, and don’t give up.  And just because I have finally managed to write a post that I can stick a Babylon 5 quote in:

Intersections in Real Time

John Sheridan:You know, it’s funny, I was thinking about what you said, that the preeminent truth of our age is that you cannot fight the system. But if, as you say, the truth is fluid, that the truth is subjective, then maybe you can fight the system. As long as just one person refuses to be broken, refuses to bow down.

Interrogator: But can you win?

John Sheridan: Every time I say “no.”

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Related posts:

  1. What is the NZIS Complaints Procedure?
  2. Why has Immigration New Zealand hidden the complaints process again?
  3. Well that was a waste of one year of my life.
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Comments

6 Comments on Wow – we actually did it!

  1. Hubby on Sat, 1st Aug 2009 7:28 pm

    2. Still it’s nice to see that NZIS have some decent principles about handling complaints;
    - we acknowledge our mistakes and put them right if we can
    - we will treat complaints with priority and give a timely response
    - we will be fair
    - we will try to see things from the client’s perspective and understand, and therefore address, why they think we were wrong
    - we will not be defensive of existing decisions – we will take a genuine fresh look at the issues raised

    How radically customer satisfaction minded of them!
    :)

    It hasn’t really sunk in that the complaints process is published now. It’s great to know that with persistence you can make a difference, no matter who you are dealing with.

  2. blaise on Mon, 3rd Aug 2009 8:33 am

    3. Well done! It’s nice to see that they are taking their lack of transparency seriously. It would have been very easy for them to resolve your specific issue “under the table” but it seems that they are doing the right thing and fixing the problem rather then the symptom.

    I’ve got inlaws that are looking to retire here, i’m looking forward to the resolution and information you post up.

  3. William on Mon, 3rd Aug 2009 10:17 am

    4. In the scheme of NZ customer service this is actually very far ahead.

    Never mind that it seems like the dark ages and that publishing a complaints procedure is only the starting comitment, we should all applaud the sentiment.

  4. Avalon on Mon, 3rd Aug 2009 10:49 am

    5. I think the people who need applauding are the Office of the Ombudsman and the Auditor General for actually beliveing us enough to look into the matter and do something about it. NZIS didnt want to do this – they did it because they were forced to.

    I honestly have no idea how long NZIS have tried to keep this procedure hidden from migrants – but it was always there – they just refused to let any of us know about it – even when applicants have made a complaint – they did not tell anyone what the process was.

    The only sentiment from NZIS I’m afraid to say is that they have finally been caught and given a bit of a kicking and are now having to make it sound like they will be helpful.

  5. Avalon on Mon, 3rd Aug 2009 11:19 am

    6. Hey Blaise – NZIS are not, im afraid, being transparent. As I said above they have been forced into doing this.

    They are still refusing point blank to do the right thing regarding our personal situation, and indeed in the end did try to shut us up by magically getting the Medical Assessor to sign off on the application when he was supposed to be away :)

    (sorry – im a bit behind on writing the rest of the story – I will get on with it today :) )

    From our personal experince – NZIS are absolutly refusing to either admit any wrongdoing, or fix the problem. They dont even seem to believe that there IS a problem.

    At least now applicants do have access to a written proceedure, and can at last hold NZIS to account. Whether people will use it or not remains to be seen. Hopefully by the time you are ready to go through the process, the Auditor General’s recommendations will have been actioned and you will have a much easier time of it than we did.

    Hxx

  6. Hubby on Mon, 3rd Aug 2009 11:39 am

    7. With thanks to Maggie, who has sourced the original proper quote;

    “Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

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