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So, the Senators asked him about the effect of those letters, and here's his take on that:

Eamon Courtenay - Senator for the Opposition
"Are you aware of the practice of ministerial colleagues writing "recommending" persons for visas."

Godwin Hulse - Minister of Immigration
"Yes."

Eamon Courtenay
"Would you regard that as being improper?"

Godwin Hulse
"Well it depends on how the thing was written. For the most part what I have heard is that those letters were written and say please help so and so and so, if al is in order or if they meet the requirements or words to those effect."

Eamon Courtenay
"But minister, if all is in order why does one write a letter? What's the purpose of that? If all is in order why are you writing and say....?"

Godwin Hulse
"Well I guess we can suggest that it's like any recommendation. There are people out there that feel perhaps that some minister of some senior officials recommends it, it facilitates the process a little better."

Eamon Courtenay
"In this particular case we are talking about circumstances where you're saying all that was required was satisfied. So what is the value of a recommendation from a minister? Why don't you go to priest? Why don't you go to your banker? Why don't you go to your attorney and say I am applying for this, I satisfy everything, you Mr. Priest please write me a letter of recommendation."

Godwin Hulse
"I couldn't answer that. I have not done it so."

Eamon Courtenay
"The fact is that it was ministerial influence that these people who are agents were looking for. Is that not we are dealing with here?"

Godwin Hulse
"It may be."

Eamon Courtenay
"Of the ministers and other politically connected persons who were repeatedly making these requests and compiling it on a monthly basis. The question is what happened to that list? Who was it sent to?"

Godwin Hulse
"Well I don't know what happened to the list. It should be at the Ministry of Immigration."

Eamon Courtenay
"But you know that it was kept, you were aware?"

Godwin Hulse
"I was aware that there was a list of all the visas issued every month."

Eamon Courtenay
"No. Ministers and politically connected persons requesting or supporting applications. Not the list of the visas that were issued, the list of the "recommenders". That's what she started keeping."

Godwin Hulse
"Yeah. Well I don't know. That must be at the Immigration Department somewhere. She was a meticulous filer."

Eamon Courtenay
"This was not brought to your attention?"

Godwin Hulse
"I know that one time in the month of March I think it was, I am not clear if it was March or April, Cabinet was informed that in fact ministers were recommending visas. But I did not know that in fact there was separate list that was kept of only ministers. I know that there was a monthly list of all the visas issued."

Eamon Courtenay
"So who informed cabinet of that and why?"

Godwin Hulse
"I did when we were informed of all the visas and I did because cabinet asked. So I said well here is the list."

Eamon Courtenay
"Your staff, the highest level was concerned that the volume that was being pushed through, something is wrong and it also that ministers are pushing visas and so you took it upon yourself and said to cabinet 'see what is happening here.' Let me tell you this is what is happening - ministers are pushing visas. It's in the hundreds that are being processed. Here is the information. And you took it to cabinet for a cabinet decision - what to do with all of this."

Godwin Hulse
"No, I don't agree with that suggestion at all."

Mark Lizarraga - Senator for the Business Sector
"I am really concern here, because why would the Prime Minister then say there is the possibility of a money-making enterprise involved?"

Godwin Hulse
"Well you'd have to ask him."