21 May 2015

Reduced spend on refugees undermines resettlement

Government is cutting $1.5million from essential refugee services, potentially stranding vulnerable refugees overseas, the Green Party said today.

“By cutting funding to refugee protection services, we will create a bottle neck of unheard refugee cases both in New Zealand and overseas,” said Green Party refugee spokesperson Denise Roche.

“John Key claims that New Zealand won’t increase our refugee numbers because he places the priority on providing good services, yet this budget cuts funding to these very services.

“Longer waiting times significantly increase the mental and physical stress that refugees are already under; it is cruel to make them wait longer than they already are.

“Refugees need to be resettled as soon as possible so they can integrate and get on with their lives.

“Speedy resettlement relies on cases being processed quickly, and we are not going to get this if the National Government cuts funding to the refugee service,” said Ms Roche.

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