The ACT Party is concerned by the Prime Minister's statement that New Zealand may increase its refugee quota, leader Richard Prebble said today.

"The violence and murder in Helen Clark's own electorate a week ago demonstrated that the present refugee policy brings with it serious problems," Mr Prebble said.

"Ms Clark cites Australia as a reason for increasing the number of refugees, but Australia's refugee policy is in chaos, so that's poor reason for New Zealand to take more refugees. ACT believes the government's refugee policy needs a serious re-think.

"There are millions of refugees around the world and instead of taking those who have most difficulty settling in New Zealand - eg those from desert cultures - we should look sympathetically at refugees who would have no difficulty integrating into New Zealand society. For example, white farmers being driven off their land in Zimbabwe are real refugees and they'd make good citizens but they'd never be selected by this politically correct government. These Zimbabwean farmers are homeless because they're not politically fashionable.

"ACT believes that if we had a more realistic refugee policy we could assist refugees without putting the New Zealand taxpayers to enormous cost," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

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