26 April 2017
UnitedFuture leader joins calls for greater refugee support - Dunne

UnitedFuture leader, Hon Peter Dunne, today accepted over 800 postcards calling for additional support for refugees in New Zealand at an event co-ordinated by LUSH Cosmetics and Action Station New Zealand.

“UnitedFuture has a long history on standing up for refugees and urging New Zealand to do more to help settle and support those we take in under humanitarian grounds.

“This position is especially important in a world where we are faced with the largest refugee crisis in modern history, it is imperative that New Zealand plays a larger role,” Mr Dunne said.

ActionStation Co-Director, Marianne Elliot, outlined the issue with the current policy at the event:

“Currently people granted refuge in New Zealand fall into two legal categories.

“Both groups of people come here under extremely difficult conditions, fleeing war or persecution in their homelands, yet only people who get the label ‘Quota refugee’ are entitled to Government resettlement support,” Ms Elliot said.

Mr Dunne accepted the expressions of support from representatives of ActionStation, LUSH Cosmetics and the President of the New Zealand National Refugee Youth Council, Daniel Gamboa Salazar.

“I am fully in support of New Zealand widening how we support refugees and am very pleased to be accepting the expressions of support of hundreds of New Zealanders on this issue.

“I will be sending this message to the Minister of Immigration and urge the Government to adopt a more compassionate stance on how we as a nation approach our humanitarian obligations towards refugees,” said Mr Dunne.

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