KEY POINTS:
Thai labourers working on the houses of MP Taito Phillip Field rejected offers of payment because he was helping them with their immigration applications.
In other cases, there was no discussion about any payment, according to evidence put forward yesterday by the Crown to support a prosecution against
the former minister.
The Crown is seeking permission to lay 15 charges of corruptlyaccepting a bribe under section 103 of the Crimes Act.
Prosecutors said they could prove Mr Field had "tens of thousands of dollars" worth of work carried out on his houses for little or no pay to the Thai immigrants.
His lawyers reject the allegations and say the legislation cannot be applied to the MP's actions.
Crown prosecutor Simon Moore said there was a "pattern of behaviour" whereby Mr Field made representations to the Associate Minister of Immigration on behalf of constituents, "and while those steps were being undertaken he was securing those who held qualifications as gib stoppers or painters to undertake work for him on his five houses".
The houses included three in Auckland and one each in Wellington and Samoa.
The Crown told the court of three carloads of Thai workers travelling to Wellington in March 2004 to do plastering, painting and general renovations.
Mr Field offered the group $600 but they refused, although they later accepted $400 for petrol and expenses.
There was no talk of payment for labour, the witnesses have told police.
One of the workers had had his work permit granted before the work was carried out and it was later renewed in June 2004.
Mr Moore said the proposed charges would relate to work carried out at two houses in Mangere, and one each in Onehunga, Strathmore and Samoa between 2003 and 2006.
He said there were cases where the immigration assistance preceded work, but in others the assistance continued after the work was carried out.
According to a witness statement given in submissions by the Crown, Jinda Thaivichit said she carried out 16 hours of plastering work.
"I offered to plaster the place for free because Mr Field had helped my husband's case," she told police.
Three charges would relate to work in Samoa by tiler Sunan Siriwan and other workers, including Bulakorn Nahken, the husband of Ms Thaivichit.
The Crown said Mr Nahken discussed with Mr Field the prospect of going to Samoa to work but the MP did not offer to pay any money. Mr Nahken said he did not ask for any money.
Mr Siriwan had told police it was his understanding that Mr Field would not pay him any money but "payment to me would be by way of a work permit enabling me to return to New Zealand".
For Mr Field, Paul Dacre said there was no evidence to suggest Mr Field supplied false or misleading information to Immigration, or assisted anyone in obtaining a visa to which they were not entitled.
There was no evidence of a "corrupt contract" with the MP.
The evidence did not support bribery charges under section 103.
THE CASE
* Police are seeking the permission of a High Court judge to charge Taito Phillip Field with 15 offences of corruptly accepting a bribe.
* The charges relate to work by Thai labourers on five of his homes before, during and after the time he assisted them with their immigration applications.
* The MP's lawyers say the legislation cannot be applied to Mr Field's actions.
* Chief High Court Judge Tony Randerson has reserved his decision.
