After Nathan Guy failed to justify granting Peter Thiel a secret citizenship because he supposedly is an “ambassador” for New Zealand, Bill English has made further excuses for why the capitalist was automatically a New Zealander after spending just 12 days in the country.
Today, Newshub reported:
Bill English is trying to mislead the public again. Thiel might have had residency, but he wasn’t a resident for five years. These are two completely different things.
We already know that Thiel only spent 12 days in NZ before being granted citizenship. He didn’t actually reside in New Zealand at all. So why is the PM trying to mislead us?
Actually that's exactly what happened... Thiel showed up at the airport, spent 12 days in the country and then became a citizen.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Thiel made a large undeclared donation to the National party in order to secure his citizenship, and that’s why they’re continuing to try and defend the indefensible.
When you compare Nathan Guy granting Thiel's citizenship to other cases that have been declined it clearly shows that the National party has one law for the rich and another for the rest of us.
Today, The Standard reported:
Besides Thiel’s wealth and his political associations there’s no reason for Nathan Guy to grant him citizenship over these more worthwhile examples. That makes the National party an elitist party that doesn’t deserve New Zealander's support.
Today, Newshub reported:
Bill English defends granting Peter Thiel citizenship
Bill English has defended the decision to grant controversial US billionaire Peter Thiel New Zealand citizenship.
Mr Thiel, who made his fortune as co-founder of PayPal and as an early investor in Facebook, became an official Kiwi in 2011 after spending a total of only 12 days in the country, on four separate visits.
Speaking to The AM Show on Monday, Mr English said Mr Thiel had already been a New Zealand resident for five years when he was granted citizenship.
Bill English is trying to mislead the public again. Thiel might have had residency, but he wasn’t a resident for five years. These are two completely different things.
We already know that Thiel only spent 12 days in NZ before being granted citizenship. He didn’t actually reside in New Zealand at all. So why is the PM trying to mislead us?
"This impression that someone showed up at the airport and became a citizen is wrong," he told host Duncan Garner. "The decision itself is made by officials who deal with something like 1000 of these cases every year."
Actually that's exactly what happened... Thiel showed up at the airport, spent 12 days in the country and then became a citizen.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Thiel made a large undeclared donation to the National party in order to secure his citizenship, and that’s why they’re continuing to try and defend the indefensible.
When you compare Nathan Guy granting Thiel's citizenship to other cases that have been declined it clearly shows that the National party has one law for the rich and another for the rest of us.
Today, The Standard reported:
Citizenship – one law for the rich
The Thiel case is inviting comparison with others. We’re denying citizenship to those who have lived here for 30 years. We’re ejecting an outstanding academic because of an autistic stepson. We’re deporting a blind 5 year old. We’re deporting those running a business here. And so on and so on.
Besides Thiel’s wealth and his political associations there’s no reason for Nathan Guy to grant him citizenship over these more worthwhile examples. That makes the National party an elitist party that doesn’t deserve New Zealander's support.
