A review of how the Immigration Minister came to approve residency for a convicted drug smuggler has concluded it's too high risk for ministers to be making decisions about deportations.
The report by QC Mike Heron also reveals sufficiently powerful grounds were presented to the Minister for convicted drug smuggler Karel Sroubek to be deported and it was unexpected when he chose to grant residency.
Iain Lees-Galloway's bungled handling of the Sroubek case led to calls for his scalp and Mike Heron says giving the power back to officials is a way to keep the Minister above the fray.
RNZ political reporter Jo Moir has been following the developments.
