Immigration officials 'deliberately withheld' information on failed technology upgrade

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford criticized her ministry for deliberately withholding information about a failed biometrics technology upgrade, which cost over $30 million and delivered no benefits after seven years. The project, launched in 2018 without ministerial sign-off, was later split into parts to avoid Cabinet oversight, according to an independent review. Stanford said officials used 'creative accounting' to mask costs and misled both her and the previous Labour government, leading her to request an integrity investigation by Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche. The review, conducted by Greg James, found that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) ignored multiple red flags, including delays and missed milestones, before abandoning the project in 2025. Ministerial reporting was inconsistent, with officials sometimes presenting overly optimistic assessments. Stanford described the findings as 'very serious,' noting that concerns raised by staff were ignored, and funding requests were misrepresented. The 2024 Budget included a $31.2 million write-off for the project, which left New Zealand reliant on aging infrastructure while a new solution is sought. Stanford accused the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) of splitting the project to bypass approval processes and failing to disclose declined funding requests. She declined to specify how high the misconduct extended within MBIE’s management hierarchy. MBIE chief executive Nic Blakeley apologized to MPs, calling the review 'a very difficult read' and expressing disappointment over the oversight failures. He committed to implementing changes following the report’s findings. Stanford emphasized that the case involved deliberate obfuscation, including providing her with 'complete fiction' regarding the project’s status.