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INZ closes Dunedin office
Immigration New Zealand’s office in Dunedin has closed, two years after the initial decision was made. Although staff will stay on to process outstanding applications until February, the office is now closed to the public. The original announcement that the office would be closed was made at the beginning of last year.
Of the five permanent staff, one will take up a new position at Immigration’s Christchurch office and four staff have been made redundant. A sixth member of staff has already transferred to Auckland with the position taken over by a number of short term contracts.
Christchurch will now become the hub through which South Island applications are submitted and processed.
Dr David Clark, Dunedin North MP, said there was no reason to close the office adding that it was another example thoughtless centralization by the government. He went on to say that the decision to close had received little public profile or consultation and removed jobs from the area.
Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse accused Dr Clark of shedding crocodile tears. He accused Labour of initiating the centralisation process while in office adding that there had been a comprehensive consultation process before any decision was made to shutdown the INZ office in Dunedin.
Of the five permanent staff, one will take up a new position at Immigration’s Christchurch office and four staff have been made redundant. A sixth member of staff has already transferred to Auckland with the position taken over by a number of short term contracts.
Christchurch will now become the hub through which South Island applications are submitted and processed.
Dr David Clark, Dunedin North MP, said there was no reason to close the office adding that it was another example thoughtless centralization by the government. He went on to say that the decision to close had received little public profile or consultation and removed jobs from the area.
Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse accused Dr Clark of shedding crocodile tears. He accused Labour of initiating the centralisation process while in office adding that there had been a comprehensive consultation process before any decision was made to shutdown the INZ office in Dunedin.
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