Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Labour to be applauded for lead on refugee quota

Labour to be applauded for lead on refugee quota


Today’s formal announcement of Labour’s policy to double New Zealand’s refugee quota has been welcomed by refugee advocate group Doing Our Bit.

“As the first party to formally back the policy Labour is to be congratulated”, said Doing Our Bit spokesperson Murdoch Stephens. “It was a Labour government that formalised the quota in 1987 and so it is great that they lead the charge for the first permanent and significant increase since that time.”

Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway will speak to the announcement as Doing Our Bit, along with ActionStation and Avaaz hand 20 546 signatures to the government backing the call to double the quota.

“Three decades with no refugee quota increase is an embarrassment. Our population is up more than 40% since then and our inflation adjusted GDP per capita has more than doubled. We have the capacity. We have the will. We need the leadership,” said Stephens.

Though the government offered 600 extra places last September, that only just makes up for the shortfalls in the quota over the last decade.

The Doing Our Bit campaign is asking that in the current review the government double the quota, double the funding and require Immigration New Zealand to consider population and GDP growth at each triennial quota review

END

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.