Refugees in New Zealand

Last updated

Refugees in New Zealand have two main pathways for gaining protection in the country. Asylum seekers may seek protection after arrival in New Zealand (either as refugees or protected persons). Refugees may also be resettled from offshore through New Zealand's Refugee Quota Programme. [1] In 2017/18 a community sponsorship pathway was trialled, extended from 2021. [2] [3]

Contents

A refugee who is resettled into New Zealand is granted permanent residency and may apply for citizenship. Much of the discussion in recent years has focussed on whether the annual United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) resettlement quota is adequate, focussed on the most vulnerable and on the outcomes for refugees coming through this system. [4] New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world that receive more quota refugees than asylum applications. The resettlement process is primarily managed by Immigration New Zealand, who contract out settlement services to numerous community organisations including New Zealand Red Cross. [5]

History of refugees in New Zealand

Even before the 1951 United Nations Convention was being adopted by member states, New Zealand accepted refugees.

Those granted refugee status prior to the UNHCR Convention were

New Zealand acceded to the UNHCR Convention in 1960, and refugee policy is based on the obligations that flow from that, namely to offer protection to refugees. The text is currently set out in the Sixth Schedule of the Immigration Act 1987. The Immigration Act is not a description of policy, but rather a framework for assessing and determining claims made by people in New Zealand seeking refugee status. The 1987 Act formalised an annual resettlement quota of 800 places, which was decreased to 750 places in 1997. [6]

Those granted refugee status post the signing of the UNHCR Convention were:

In 2009, the incoming National government moved to a focus on refugees in the Asia-Pacific region which substantially decreased the number of refugees coming from both the Middle East and Africa. New Zealand now restricts quota refugees from both the Middle East and African unless (a) they already have family in New Zealand, (b) they are part of an emergency quota outside of the annual intake or (c) refugees from this region are able to register with the UNHCR outside of the Middle East and Africa. [8] These restrictions have led to prominent advocates comparing New Zealand's policies to the "Muslim Ban" of Donald Trump. [9]

After the Mosque attacks in Christchurch in 2019, attention turned to the coalition government's continued restrictions on African and Middle Eastern refugees. [10] Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway described the policy as "the very definition of discrimination" and indicated the policy would be reviewed. [11] Both the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Foreign Minister Winston Peters questioned whether the policy was racist, but also indicated the policy - as well as the broader make-up of the quota - was under review. [12] [13]

In early October 2019, the Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway announced that the Labour-led coalition government would be scrapping the discriminatory requirement that African and Middle Eastern refugee applicants already have relatives who were residing in New Zealand. While the African and Middle Eastern regions had their refugee allocation quota increased from 14% to 15%, the Government would still continues its focus on the Asia-Pacific region, which is allocated 50% on the annual refugee quota. This change followed criticism of the Government's refugee resettlement policy by refugee advocates Guled Mire and Murdoch Stephens, petition from World Vision, and comments from Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon. [14] [15] [16]

On 16 May 2020, the Green Party's immigration spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman announced that the Government will be doubling the cap on New Zealands' family reunification scheme from 300 to 600 over the next three years under a new NZ$21 million funding boost. [17] For the first time in the programme's history, funding would go towards the programme that would take away some of the burden on sponsoring families. [18]

In mid-March 2022, the New Zealand Government introduced a two-year work visa programme allowing New Zealand citizens and residents of Ukrainian descent to sponsor Ukrainian family members seeking to shelter in New Zealand following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. This "Special Ukraine Policy" aims to bring over 4,000 Ukrainians to New Zealand and comes with work and study rights. [19] [20]

On 24 March 2022, the New Zealand and Australian Governments agreed to accept 450 asylum seekers over a three year period from the Nauru Regional Processing Centre and those temporarily in Australia for "processing." Refugees being resettled in New Zealand will have to go through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) process and meet the criteria for NZ's refugee quota requirements. The Morrison government had decided to accept a 2012 deal between former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard for New Zealand to accept several asylum seekers who had travelled to Australia by sea. Subsequent Australian governments had reneged on New Zealand's offer due to concerns that it would encourage more asylum seekers to travel by boat to Australia and that former asylum seekers could enter Australia via New Zealand. [21] [22]

The refugee quota (resettlement)

New Zealand is one of a handful of countries that takes the majority of their refugees through a quota system. [23] Each year, New Zealand accepts 1,500 refugees as part of an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These people have been assessed as refugees with a high need of protection by UNHCR and referred to New Zealand, based on the regional allocations decided every three years by the government. [24] Since 2020, the top countries for refugee quota arrivals have been Syria, Afghanistan, Colombia, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan. [25]

The quota is set every three years, with the next decision due to be made and implemented in July 2025. Included within the current quota are places for women at risk (>150), medical/disabled (<75), large scale crisis response (200 - used for Syrians in 2022/23), which are decided year by year, and emergency protection (100) cases. The rest of the cases are general humanitarian In doing so the country offers some preferential places for those who are already marginalised and vulnerable, and for whom it is the most difficult to find resettlement locations. For this New Zealand had gained international respect for its humanitarianism. [26] Refugees who have been resettled can apply to sponsor relatives to join them, though those being sponsored need not be refugees themselves and there is a significant backlog of places across both Tier One and Tier Two of this Refugee Family Support Category. [27]

Settlement locations

Those refugees arriving under the UNHCR quota, arrive in Auckland in groups of about 180, and stay for the first six weeks at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre. They are offered a programme of residential and employment orientation, and then move off to one of the seven major resettlement areas, Auckland (restricted to family connected cases in 2016), Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and, Invercargill. [28] To accommodate the increased refugee quota in 2020 and the pressure in other regions, five more regions – Levin, Masterton, Blenheim, Timaru and Ashburton – were added as resettlement locations. [29] [30]

Asylum seekers who apply for refugee status on shore are usually allowed to live in the community, with none being placed in prison or detention since a report and inquiry in 2021. [31] If they are found to be genuine refugees they will be granted residence, then they are technically able to access Social welfare in New Zealand and the same benefits provided by the state as any permanent resident. In practice, however, accessing these services is a slow and difficult process. [32]

Double The Quota campaign

In June 2013 Doing Our Bit, a small Wellington-based charitable trust led by Murdoch Stephens launched the Double The Quota campaign. [33] The campaign had two goals: to double the number of refugees welcomed through the annual resettlement quota from 750 to 1500 and to double the funding for resettlement services. The campaign justified this increase based on population growth since the quota was set at 800 places in 1987, and a sharp decrease in the number of asylum seekers accepted from 2001 onwards. They argued that the quota had not increased for three decades, that Australia welcomed five times as many refugees per capita as New Zealand, and that New Zealand ranked around 90th in the world at hosting refugees per capita. [34]

Prior to the 2014 election only the Green Party and United Future had policies on increasing the quota. The National party had a policy of decreasing the quota to 500 places in 2002 [35] but this policy was not continued, nor implemented when they gained power in 2008. At the 2014 election the Labour party indicated they would support raising the quota to 1,000. [36]

In early 2015 Amnesty International joined the call to double the quota. [37] The public awakening to the refugee crisis in August of that year led to doubling the quota becoming a popular argument for how New Zealand should respond, gaining support from mayors, [38] churches, [39] other NGOs, the National Party's youth wing, [40] and media commentators. [41] Public pressure saw the government agree to admit 600 additional Syrian refugees, with 150 places also set aside from within the quota for Syrians. They also said they would consider increasing the quota at the triennial review due in 2016. [42]

A broad-based campaign ran in the first six months of 2016 to encourage the government to double the quota. While it was ultimately unsuccessful in that goal, the government did set in place an increase of the quota to 1,000 places for July 2018. More importantly, United Future, Labour and the Greens all took on a policy of doubling the quota. [43]

In the lead up to the 2017 election, Doing Our Bit continued the campaign with a nationwide speaking tour securing pledges of Members of Parliament and candidates to double the quota. [44] Among those signing was then deputy leader of the opposition, Jacinda Ardern. When Ardern eventually became Opposition leader and then leader of the coalition government with New Zealand First, she reiterated that the refugee quota would grow to 1,500 places. [45] The Green party also secured a review of the numbers admitted under family reunification for their confidence and supply support. In August 2018, a book by Stephens was released documenting the campaign through publisher Bridget Williams Books. [46]

On 19 September 2018, the Sixth Labour Government announced that New Zealand will raise the annual refugee quota from 1,000 to 1,500 in July 2020, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had announced. Labour campaigned on increasing the refugee quota to 1,500 over three years, and providing the funding to manage refugee resettlement. [47] In June 2023, it was announced that the doubled quota had been reached for the first time. [48]

Asylum seekers

New Zealand receives relatively few asylum seekers (the vast majority by air), whose claim is then either approved or declined by the Refugee Status Branch of the Immigration New Zealand, or by the Immigration and Protection Tribunal. In 2022/23, 708 refugee status applications were received; in that same time there were 104 people approved at a rate of 21.6%. [49] Assistance that addresses asylum seeker's specific needs as they attempt to integrate into New Zealand is very limited. [50]

Asylum seekers by boat

New Zealand has had a long-standing concern about boat arrivals of asylum seekers with particular public concern during the Vietnam War and in the late 1990s. [51] New Zealand has been an active participant in the Bali Process to prevent boat arrivals. No mass boat arrival has ever made it to New Zealand, although small numbers of individuals have arrived on passenger, cargo or other boats and subsequently lodged an asylum claim.

In 2013 a Migration Amendment Bill was introduced which would allow the government to mandatorily detain refugees who arrive by boat in groups of ten or more. The bill, colloquially referred to as the Mass Arrivals Bill, was passed as the Migration Amendment Act 2014 but only after Peter Dunne insisted the number rise from ten to thirty people. [52]

Refugee advocates have claimed that the New Zealand government is scare-mongering over asylum seekers in a manner similar to that deployed in Australian politics. [53] [54] In January 2018, leaked intelligence reports to Australian media suggested Australian authorities reportedly turned around four new boats just before Christmas 2017, and intelligence sources have said Ardern's criticisms of Australia's refugee policy are the likely cause. [55] However former Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg, said before the May 2018 attempt from Malaysia there "was only ever one vessel intercepted south of Papua New Guinea that was capable of reaching NZ physically and with an experienced crew; this one also looks like it could have." [56]

A number of refugees or reports have claimed that asylum seekers are attempting to travel to New Zealand in recent years. Examples include:

New legislation was introduced to Parliament in the final year of the sixth Labour government, but did not pass before the House rose. Both the National and Green parties, as well as almost all submitters, opposed the bill. [77] The bill was reinstated by the sixth National Government and has the support of coalition partners. [78]

The Andika

In May 2015 a ship with passengers including 54 Sri Lankans (Tamils), 10 Bangladeshis, one person from Myanmar (Rohingya) and five additional crew was sailing towards New Zealand in international waters. [79] According to an Amnesty International report the boat had a credible chance of arriving in New Zealand however it was intercepted by Australian authorities outside of Australian jurisdiction. [80] The treatment of these refugees was also documented in the 2019 film Stop the Boats - the lie of savings lives at sea. [81]

The boat departed from Indonesia on 5 May and was first intercepted by Australian forces on 17 May 2015, and again on 22 May when the refugees were removed. They were sent back on two less seaworthy boats, and shipwrecked off Rote Island, Indonesia on 31 May 2015. [80] News about the ship broke on 1 June 2015 by the Indonesian police [82] [83] [84]

On 2 June 2015, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key was asked about the situation in the New Zealand media. [85] He said if one boat made it New Zealand "it would open up a pretty easy pathway to replicate". [79] In one interview he would not say which New Zealand authorities first found out about the boat, or whether New Zealand's spy agencies had been involved, saying it was "a while ago, but I can't really go into all the details for some obvious reasons, but yeah, I knew some time ago." [86] In another interview however he said they had been advised "a couple of weeks back" about the seaworthiness of the boat to reach New Zealand and was getting daily updates from ODESC. [87] Labour politicians attacked Key in parliament for scare-mongering denying the possibility of the boat arriving. [88] [89] The Green Party raised the possibility that the New Zealand intelligence agencies had been involved in tracking the boat and if so were "complicit in violating international law, the Refugee Convention and ignoring the UN’s criticism of Australia". [90]

Newspaper editorials strongly criticised the operation and called on PM John Key to distance the government from likely payments made by Australia to the ship to the ships crew to be turned around. [91] This was also raised by Michael Timmins [92] Former Green MP Keith Locke said the incident "raises the question of whether the Australian navy is under instructions from the New Zealand government to intercept any such boat and send it back to Indonesia." [93] Ahead of the 2017 general election a number of MPs and activists signed an open-letter calling on the government to bring the passengers of the Andika to New Zealand to have their asylum claims assessed in New Zealand [94]

Other intakes

Community sponsorship

In August 2017, the Fifth National Government approved a pilot "Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category (CORS) Category" scheme, that was launched in 2018 in response to the 2015 European migrant crisis. This scheme allowed 24 refugees to settle in New Zealand with the support of four community organisations. [95] [96] The CORS scheme is separate to New Zealand's annual refugee quota of 1,500. Refugees participated in the CORS programmed must meet the United Nations' refugee criteria, "which means they have been displaced from their own country because of persecution, conflict, violence or "seriously disturbed public order", and require international protection." [97]

By November 2018, Amnesty International New Zealand confirmed that 23 people had been resettled in New Zealand under the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship programme. That same year, Amnesty International submitted a petition with 10,276 signatures to Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway calling for the CORS scheme to be made permanent. The petition received the support of Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, Green MP Golriz Ghahraman, Labour MP Michael Wood and Mayor of Wellington Justin Lester. [98] Prominent journalist and media commentator Alison Mau described the extension of the pilot as, politically "2019's most obvious no-brainer." [99] In the 2020 budget, the trial was extended for three years with 50 places available per year and a co-design process set to be launched.

As part of the 2020 budget, the Sixth Labour Government extended the CORS scheme from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2024, allowing 50 community sponsored refugees a year for each financial year to be settled in New Zealand; amounting to a total of 150 people over a period of three years. [96] [100] In addition, a co-design process set was launched. [3]

In September 2021, Radio New Zealand reported that applications for refugee sponsors would open in October 2021. Immigration New Zealand's manager for refugee and migrant support Sarah Ward confirmed that community groups could nominate someone to sponsor or be matched with a person in need. Refugees participating in the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship programme need to have a basic level of English and either three years of work experience or two years of tertiary study. [100] By December 2021, an umbrella organisation called HOST Aotearoa had been set up to aid refugees' integration into New Zealand and to provide training and support for community organisations including accessing support by government agencies. [97]

2021 Afghan evacuation and subsequent intake

Following the 2021 Taliban offensive that reinstated Taliban rule in Afghanistan in mid–August 2021, the New Zealand Government dispatched military forces including a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules plane to assist in international evacuation efforts at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Besides New Zealand citizens and residents, NZ forces were tasked with evacuating Afghans who had assisted the New Zealand Defence Force and their families. [101] By 23 August, the first batch of Afghan evacuees had arrived in New Zealand via the United Arab Emirates, with the Australian Defence Force helping to facilitate their travel to New Zealand. [102]

On 26 August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) suspended the processing of residency applications from Afghan nationals in late August 2021, citing the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. [103] The suspension of Afghan residency applications was criticised by human rights advocates and Afghan migrants. Former Afghan interpreter Diamond Kazimi stated that 200 Afghan families who had assisted the NZDF were still waiting for their visa applications to be processed. [104] On 26 August, the RNZAF completed its last evacuation flight from Kabul following the 2021 Kabul airport attacks. By that stage, about 300 of the 520 people in Afghanistan registered with MFAT had been evacuated. [105]

In response to the Afghan crisis, the University of Waikato law academic Alexander Gillespie called on the Government to do a one-off intake of 1,500 additional refugees on top of the country's existing refugee quota. [106] Similarly, the Council for International Development's (CID) Humanitarian Manager Aaron Davy called on the Government to lift the refugee quota to 1,000 in order to take in Afghan refugees and to increase humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. [107]

In early November 2021, Community Law Waikato challenged Immigration New Zealand's decision to stop processing visas by Afghan migrants and refugees in 2020. Crown lawyer Robert Kirkness defended the department's decision, citing New Zealand's COVID-19 border restrictions. [108] On 23 November, the High Court ruled against Immigration NZ's decision to cease processing Afghan interpreters' visas due to the COVID-19 pandemic and for not making humanitarian grounds following the Taliban takeover. [109] Immigration NZ subsequently defied the High Court's ruling and issued a new ruling suspending the processing of Afghan visa applications, contending that the humanitarian crisis was irrelevant to the processing of travel requests. [110] Following a second judicial challenge by Community Law Waikato, the High Court rejected Immigration NZ's decision to cease processing Afghan visa applications. However, evacuation plans were hindered by the suspension of MFAT-sponsored emergency flights during the 2021–2022 summer season. [111]

In early February 2022, Radio New Zealand reported that only 17 of the 77 Afghan applicants since November 2021 had received a Family Support Category visa and that these 17 were unable to enter the country due to a lack of official assistance. MFAT had declined to assist them on the grounds that these visa holders did not fit the criteria to get help, which focused on people who helped New Zealand agencies in Afghanistan and their immediate families. Immigration New Zealand had initially assigned two staff members to process their visas following the court ruling but had since increased the number of personnel to nine. Community Law CEO Sue Moroney criticised the Government for blocking Afghan applicants from resettling in New Zealand. [112]

Notable refugees in New Zealand

The following people are former refugees who settled in New Zealand:

New Zealand is also home to numerous high-profile second-generation refugees including Sir John Key, investigative journalist Nicky Hager and blogger David Farrar. [119]

Related Research Articles

<i>Tampa</i> affair 2001 Australian political crisis and diplomatic dispute with Norway

In late August 2001, the Howard government of Australia refused permission for the Norwegian freighter MV Tampa, carrying 433 rescued refugees and 5 crew, to enter Australian waters. This triggered an Australian political controversy in the lead-up to the 2001 federal election, and a diplomatic dispute between Australia and Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Australia</span>

The Australian continent was first settled when ancestors of Indigenous Australians arrived via the islands of Maritime Southeast Asia and New Guinea over 50,000 years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Solution</span> Australian asylum policy from 2001

The Pacific Solution is the name given to the government of Australia's policy of transporting asylum seekers to detention centres on island nations in the Pacific Ocean, rather than allowing them to land on the Australian mainland. Initially implemented from 2001 to 2007, it had bipartisan support from the Coalition and Labor opposition at the time. The Pacific Solution consisted of three central strategies:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian immigration detention facilities</span> Facilities used to detain people under Australias policy of mandatory immigration detention

Australian immigration detention facilities comprise a number of different facilities throughout Australia, including the Australian territory of Christmas Island. Such facilities also exist in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, namely the Nauru Regional Processing Centre and the Manus Regional Processing Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villawood Immigration Detention Centre</span> Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney, Australia

Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, originally Villawood Migrant Hostel or Villawood Migrant Centre, split into a separate section named Westbridge Migrant Hostel from 1968 to 1984, is an Australian immigration detention facility located in the suburb of Villawood in Sydney, Australia.

Since 1945, immigration to the United Kingdom, controlled by British immigration law and to an extent by British nationality law, has been significant, in particular from the Republic of Ireland and from the former British Empire, especially India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Caribbean, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Hong Kong. Since the accession of the UK to the European Communities in the 1970s and the creation of the EU in the early 1990s, immigrants relocated from member states of the European Union, exercising one of the European Union's Four Freedoms. In 2021, since Brexit came into effect, previous EU citizenship's right to newly move to and reside in the UK on a permanent basis does not apply anymore. A smaller number have come as asylum seekers seeking protection as refugees under the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia–New Zealand relations</span> Bilateral relations

Foreign relations between neighbouring countries Australia and New Zealand, also referred to as Trans-Tasman relations, are extremely close. Both countries share a British colonial heritage as antipodean Dominions and settler colonies, and both are part of the core Anglosphere. New Zealand sent representatives to the constitutional conventions which led to the uniting of the six Australian colonies but opted not to join. In the Boer War and in both world wars, New Zealand soldiers fought alongside Australian soldiers. In recent years the Closer Economic Relations free trade agreement and its predecessors have inspired ever-converging economic integration. Despite some shared similarities, the cultures of Australia and New Zealand also have their own sets of differences and there are sometimes differences of opinion which some have declared as symptomatic of sibling rivalry. This often centres upon sports and in commercio-economic tensions, such as those arising from the failure of Ansett Australia and those engendered by the formerly long-standing Australian ban on New Zealand apple imports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afghan refugees</span> Nationals of Afghanistan who left their country as a result of major wars or persecution

Afghan refugees are citizens of Afghanistan who were forced to flee from their country as a result the continuous wars that the country has suffered since the Afghan-Soviet war, the Afghan civil war, the Afghanistan war (2001–2021) or either political or religious persecution. The 1978 Saur Revolution, followed by the 1979 Soviet invasion, marked the first major wave of internal displacement and international migration to neighboring Iran and Pakistan; smaller numbers also went to India or to countries of the former Soviet Union. Between 1979 and 1992, more than 20% of Afghanistan's population fled the country as refugees. Following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, many returned to Afghanistan, however many Afghans were again forced to flee during the civil war in the 90s. Over 6 million Afghan refugees were residing in Iran and Pakistan by 2000. Most refugees returned to Afghanistan following the 2001 United States invasion and overthrow of the Taliban regime. Between 2002 and 2012, 5.7 million refugees returned to Afghanistan, increasing the country's population by 25%.

Immigration New Zealand, formerly the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS), is the agency within the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) that is responsible for border control, issuing travel visas and managing immigration to New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to New Zealand</span>

Migration to New Zealand began only very recently in human history, with Polynesian settlement in New Zealand, previously uninhabited, about 1250 CE to 1280 CE. European migration provided a major influx, especially following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Subsequent immigrants have come chiefly from the British Isles, but also from continental Europe, the Pacific, the Americas and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration detention in Australia</span>

The Australian government has a policy and practice of detaining in immigration detention facilities non-citizens not holding a valid visa, suspected of visa violations, illegal entry or unauthorised arrival, and those subject to deportation and removal in immigration detention until a decision is made by the immigration authorities to grant a visa and release them into the community, or to repatriate them to their country of origin/passport. Persons in immigration detention may at any time opt to voluntarily leave Australia for their country of origin, or they may be deported or given a bridging or temporary visa. In 1992, Australia adopted a mandatory detention policy obliging the government to detain all persons entering or being in the country without a valid visa, while their claim to remain in Australia is processed and security and health checks undertaken. Also, at the same time, the law was changed to permit indefinite detention, from the previous limit of 273 days. The policy was instituted by the Keating government in 1992, and was varied by the subsequent Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison and Albanese Governments. The policy is regarded as controversial and has been criticised by a number of organisations. In 2004, the High Court of Australia confirmed the constitutionality of indefinite mandatory detention of non-citizens. However, this interpretation was overturned in a landmark decision, NZYQ v Minister for Immigration, in 2023, with the High Court concluding the practice was unlawful and unconstitutional.

Afghan diaspora refers to the Afghan people that reside and work outside of Afghanistan. They include natives and citizens of Afghanistan who have immigrated to other countries. The majority of the diaspora has been formed by Afghan refugees since the start of the Soviet–Afghan War in 1979; the largest numbers temporarily reside in Iran. As stateless refugees or asylum seekers, they are protected by the well-established non-refoulement principle and the U.N. Convention Against Torture. The ones having at least one American parent are further protected by United States laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kris Faafoi</span> New Zealand politician

Kristopher John Faafoi is a former New Zealand Labour Party politician. He became the Member of Parliament for the Mana electorate in 2010. He did not contest the seat as an electorate MP in 2020 but continued as a list MP. He held a number of ministerial portfolios in the Sixth Labour Government from 2017, until he announced his retirement from politics in June 2022.

Asylum in Australia has been granted to many refugees since 1945, when half a million Europeans displaced by World War II were given asylum. Since then, there have been periodic waves of asylum seekers from South East Asia and the Middle East, with government policy and public opinion changing over the years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manus Regional Processing Centre</span> An offshore Australian immigration detention facility

The Manus Regional Processing Centre, or Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (MIRCP), was one of a number of offshore Australian immigration detention facilities. The centre was located on the PNG Navy Base Lombrum on Los Negros Island in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea.

<i>Migration Act 1958</i> Act of the Parliament of Australia

The Migration Act 1958(Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that governs immigration to Australia. It set up Australia’s universal visa system (or entry permits). Its long title is "An Act relating to the entry into, and presence in, Australia of aliens, and the departure or deportation from Australia of aliens and certain other persons."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 European migrant crisis</span> 2010s migrant crisis in the European Union

During 2015, there was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and migrants into Europe. 1.3 million people came to the continent to request asylum, the most in a single year since World War II. They were mostly Syrians, but also included significant numbers from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, Eritrea, and the Balkans. The increase in asylum seekers has been attributed to factors such as the escalation of various wars in the Middle East and ISIL's territorial and military dominance in the region due to the Arab Winter, as well as Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt ceasing to accept Syrian asylum seekers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand</span> Government of New Zealand (2017–2023)

The Sixth Labour Government governed New Zealand from 26 October 2017 to 27 November 2023. It was headed first by Jacinda Ardern and later by Chris Hipkins, as Labour Party leader and prime minister.

Externalization describes the efforts of wealthy, developed countries to prevent asylum seekers and other migrants from reaching their borders, often by enlisting third countries or private entities. Externalization is used by Australia, Canada, the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom. Although less visible than physical barriers at international borders, externalization controls or restricts mobility in ways that are out of sight and far from the country's border. Examples include visa restrictions, sanctions for carriers that transport asylum seekers, and agreements with source and transit countries. Consequences often include increased irregular migration, human smuggling, and border deaths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second term of the Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand</span>

The second term of the Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand lasted between 2020 and 2023. It was formed following the Labour Party's landslide victory in the 2020 New Zealand general election. In mid January 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern resigned and was succeeded by Chris Hipkins. During the 2023 New Zealand general election held on 14 October, Labour lost its majority to the opposition National Party. The Government remained in a caretaker capacity until the new National–led coalition government was sworn in on 27 November 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "New Zealand Refugee Quota Programme | Immigration New Zealand". www.immigration.govt.nz. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category". Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Budget Opens Door For Community Sponsorship Of Refugees". Community.Scoop. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Edwards, Bryce (6 September 2015). "Political Roundup: New Zealand is part of the refugee problem". The New Zealand Herald.
  5. ↑ "Final provider of refugee settlement locations for quota refugees announced". Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Gulliver, Aimee (2 September 2015). "Increase NZ's refugee quota, Government's support partners say". Stuff . Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Ann Beaglehole (2013) Refuge New Zealand: a nation's response to refugees and asylum seekers, University of Otago Press: Dunedin
  8. ↑ McLure, Tess (31 January 2017). "New Zealand's Refugee Policy is Closer to Trump's 'Muslim Ban' Than You Might Think". Vice News . Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  9. ↑ Stephens, Murdoch (12 May 2017). "Is our refugee quota really all that bad? Yup, it's Trump-level bad". The Spinoff . Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  10. ↑ Stephens, Murdoch (28 May 2019). "A short history of New Zealand's racist refugee policy". The Spinoff . Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  11. ↑ "NZ refugee policy 'the very definition of discrimination' - Immigration Minister". 1 News . Archived from the original on 3 October 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  12. ↑ "Winston Peters argues NZ's Africa and Middle East refugee policy 'can hardly be racist'". 1 News . Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  13. ↑ Whyte, Anna. "NZ 'lucky to have the refugee community' – Ardern calls for shift in view of refugees". 1 News . Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  14. ↑ "Government scraps refugee policy labelled as racist by migrant advocates". Radio New Zealand. 4 October 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  15. ↑ Whyte, Anna (4 October 2019). "New Zealand's 'racist and discriminatory' Africa and Middle East refugee policy scrapped". 1 News . Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  16. ↑ Small, Zane (4 October 2019). "Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway dumps National Party's refugee quota policy". Newshub . Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  17. ↑ "More refugee families to be reunited in NZ as Government doubles quota". 1 News . 16 May 2020. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  18. ↑ "Budget 2020 funds security increase at Refugee Resettlement Centre and opens door for community sponsorship". Stuff. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  19. ↑ Manch, Thomas (15 March 2022). "Government to offer visas to some 4000 family members of Ukrainian-born New Zealanders". Stuff . Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "New Zealand announces new measures to support Ukraine". Deutsche Welle . 15 March 2022. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  21. ↑ Manch, Thomas; Walton, Stephen (24 March 2022). "New Zealand will receive 150 refugees held offshore by Australia, nine years after offer was made". Stuff . Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  22. ↑ Butler, Josh; Hurst, Daniel (24 March 2022). "Australia agrees 450 refugees can be resettled in New Zealand, nine years after deal first offered". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "Refugee resettlement and activism in New Zealand", M Stephens, Forced Migration Review, 27 February, #54
  24. ↑ Walters, Laura (8 July 2022). "New Zealand Government does more to help Afghan refugees". Stuff. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  25. ↑ Immigration New Zealand (10 May 2024). "Refugee and Protection Statistics Pack" (PDF). Immigration.govt.nz.
  26. ↑ Refugee Quota Branch Arrivals by Category, Age and Gender p.10
  27. ↑ "Information about : Refugee Family Support Resident Visa". Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  28. ↑ "Colombian refugees to settle in city". Southland Express . 19 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  29. ↑ Wilson, Zaryd (7 February 2019). "Whanganui to welcome more than 100 refugees annually as city named resettlement location". New Zealand Herald . ISSN   1170-0777. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  30. ↑ "Ashburton - a town with a lot to offer refugees as a newly-named settlement location". 1 News . Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  31. ↑ "Govt looks to 'tidy up' practice of jailing asylum seekers". NZ Herald. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  32. ↑ "Safe Start and Fair Future - The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  33. ↑ "Tomorrow is World Refugee Day - are we doing our bit?". Scoop. 19 June 2013.
  34. ↑ Stephens, Murdoch (20 June 2014). "Fate of refugees shouldn't be a lottery". The New Zealand Herald .
  35. ↑ "The Right Talk - Political Correctness too far". Scoop. 29 November 2002.
  36. ↑ "Climate change relocation 'urgent'". RNZ. 3 September 2014.
  37. ↑ Batten, Yvonne (31 July 2015). "Amnesty International wants New Zealand to double its quota of refugees".
  38. ↑ "New Zealand Mayors to seek increase in refugee quota". Scoop. 4 September 2015.
  39. ↑ Stewart, Matt (7 September 2015). "Anglican and Catholic churches call for 1200 more refugees". Stuff.
  40. ↑ "Young Nats Call on Government to Review Refugee Quota". Scoop. 4 September 2015.
  41. ↑ "NZ Responds to Refugee Crisis". Scoop. 7 September 2015.
  42. ↑ "New Zealand to take 750 more Syrian refugees". Scoop. 7 September 2015.
  43. ↑ "A Labour govt would double refugee quota - Little". RNZ. 31 March 2016.
  44. ↑ "Campaign to double New Zealand's refugee quota gains support". Stuff. 8 March 2017.
  45. ↑ "The Nation: Patrick Gower interviews Jacinda Ardern". Scoop. 8 November 2017.
  46. ↑ "Doing Our Bit". BWB Bridget Williams Books. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  47. ↑ "Refugee quota to rise from 1000 to 1500". Radio New Zealand . 21 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  48. ↑ "New Zealand welcomes 1,500 refugee quota for the first time". The Beehive. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  49. ↑ Immigration New Zealand (31 July 2023). "Refugee and Protection Statistics Pack" (PDF). Immigration New Zealand Refugee Statistics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 February 2020.
  50. ↑ "New Zealand must foster belonging for all refugees in wake of terror attack". The Guardian. 9 September 2021. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  51. ↑ Beaglehole, Ann (2013). Refuge New Zealand. Dunedin: Otago University Press.
  52. ↑ "Mass arrivals bill passes into law". NZ Government. 14 June 2013.
  53. ↑ Collins, Benedict (3 June 2015). "Boat people: a political bogeyman?". RNZ.
  54. ↑ Graham-McLay, Charlotte (29 March 2023). "NZ mulls harsher law against refugee boat arrivals – despite no refugee boats ever having arrived". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  55. ↑ Kirwork=Stuff, Stacey (24 January 2018). "Australian intelligence leaks blame boat arrivals on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern".
  56. 1 2 "NZ marketed as a 'definite destination' by people smugglers, Dutton warns". SBS News. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  57. ↑ Levy, Danya; Hartevelt, John; Migone, Paloma (12 July 2011). "'No evidence' asylum seekers heading to NZ". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  58. ↑ "Boat arrivals in Australia since 1976" Parliamentary Research Paper, Statistical appendix updated 23 July 2013, Janet Phillips and Harriet Spinks, Social Policy Section http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/2011-2012/BoatArrivals
  59. ↑ "Chinese refugees risking lives for asylum in New Zealand", 11 April 2012, Mary Anne Kenny https://theconversation.com/chinese-refugees-risking-lives-for-asylum-in-new-zealand-6364
  60. ↑ ABC News (Australia) (10 April 2012), Asylum seekers plan to sail to New Zealand, archived from the original on 14 December 2021, retrieved 22 April 2019
  61. ↑ "Three boatloads of asylum seekers headed to New Zealand: Australia". The New Zealand Herald. 22 January 2018. ISSN   1170-0777 . Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  62. ↑ "Malaysian police stop boat carrying 131 Sri Lankans to Australia and New Zealand". The Guardian. Associated Press. 6 May 2018. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  63. ↑ "New Zealand thanks Malaysia for stopping tanker headed here with illegal immigrants". The New Zealand Herald. 6 May 2018. ISSN   1170-0777 . Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  64. ↑ "Was people smuggling boat, intercepted with 130 Sri Lankan refugees, really heading to NZ?". 1 NEWS NOW. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  65. ↑ "Malaysia busts syndicate smuggling Sri Lankans to Australia and New Zealand". CNA. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  66. ↑ "Authorities stop people smuggling boat bound for 'Australia or New Zealand'". 2GB. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  67. ↑ "'Missing' boat of migrants reportedly heading for New Zealand". SBS Your Language. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  68. ↑ "Boatload of Indian migrants headed for NZ". SBS News. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  69. ↑ Withnall, Adam (22 January 2019). "Indian authorities hunt boat carrying more than 100 migrants after it disappears 'en route to New Zealand'". The Independent. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  70. ↑ "Government could detain boat of Indian migrants if they arrive". Newshub. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  71. ↑ "'Missing' boat carrying dozens of Indian migrants bound for New Zealand - report". TVNZ. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  72. ↑ "'Missing' boat of Indian migrants may be heading to NZ". RNZ. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  73. ↑ "Fishing Boat Heading for NZ". Vision Christian Radio. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  74. ↑ Bennett, Lucy (22 January 2019). "Indian migrants reportedly on their way to New Zealand by boat". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN   1170-0777 . Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  75. ↑ "Migrant boat from Munambam could be heading to New Zealand". OnManorama. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  76. ↑ "Did 248 asylum seekers die on their way to New Zealand?". RNZ. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  77. ↑ "Immigration Minister spars with National and Greens over asylum seekers - 'Wilfully blind'". RNZ. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  78. ↑ "Immigration (Mass Arrivals) Amendment Bill — Second Reading - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  79. 1 2 Young, Audrey (2 June 2015). "People-smuggling boat headed for NZ shores".
  80. 1 2 "By Hook or by Crook: Australia's abuse of asylum-seekers at sea" (PDF). Amnesty International. October 2015. pp. 14–24.
  81. ↑ "Stop the Boats". yardstickfilms. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  82. ↑ "Migrant Crisis: Thai General Suspected of Human Trafficking". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  83. ↑ "Australia turns back asylum-seeker boat: Indonesia". ph.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  84. ↑ "Australia turns back asylum-seeker boat: Indonesia | World | Dunya News". dunyanews.tv. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  85. ↑ "PM says boat people able to reach NZ". Radio New Zealand. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  86. ↑ "People-smuggling boat 'credible risk and threat' to NZ". Stuff. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  87. ↑ Paul Henry (2 June 2015), John Key: Plans in place for illegal migrants, archived from the original on 14 December 2021, retrieved 22 April 2019
  88. ↑ "Hipkins, Chris: Budget Debate - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  89. ↑ "Ardern, Jacinda: Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Legislation Bill — First Reading - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  90. ↑ "Are our spy agencies stopping asylum seekers". Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  91. ↑ "Editorial: Clear signals needed over people trafficking". Stuff. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  92. ↑ "Paying off the people smugglers « The Daily Blog". thedailyblog.co.nz. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  93. ↑ "NZ should have no truck with Abbott's bribery « The Daily Blog". thedailyblog.co.nz. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  94. ↑ "Open letter on asylum-seekers". Scoop. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  95. ↑ "Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category Evaluation". Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  96. 1 2 "Refugee Sponsorship: Background". Immigration New Zealand. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  97. 1 2 "Community group scheme to be used for refugee resettlement in NZ". Radio New Zealand . 26 December 2021. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  98. ↑ Devline, Collette (26 November 2018). "Govt urged to make refugee 'community sponsorship' pilot programme permanent". Stuff . Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  99. ↑ Mau, Alison (31 August 2019). "An unexpected love story we can all have a stake in". Stuff . Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  100. 1 2 Blake-Persen, Nita (17 September 2021). "New sponsorship programme for NZ communities to welcome refugees". Radio New Zealand . Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  101. ↑ McClure, Tess (16 August 2021). "New Zealand to deploy troops to aid citizens' evacuation from Afghanistan". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  102. ↑ "First Afghanistan evacuees to land in New Zealand". Radio New Zealand . 23 August 2021. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  103. ↑ "Afghanistan falls: NZ closes door on Afghan resettlement applications". Newstalk ZB . 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  104. ↑ "Afghan interpreter says New Zealand has left his family to die at Taliban's hands". Radio New Zealand . 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  105. ↑ Manch, Thomas (27 August 2021). "Possibly hundreds left behind as New Zealand Afghanistan evacuation mission ends after Kabul terror attack". Stuff . Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  106. ↑ Gillespie, Alexander (21 August 2021). "As the Taliban's grip on Afghanistan tightens, New Zealand must commit to taking more refugees". Stuff . Archived from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  107. ↑ "New Zealand charities call to raise the refugee quota". ReliefWeb . United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  108. ↑ "Immigration officials can bar entry to visa holders, court hears". Radio New Zealand . 4 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  109. ↑ "High Court ruling paves way to New Zealand for at-risk Afghans". Radio New Zealand . 23 November 2021. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  110. ↑ "Immigration blocks pathway for at-risk Afghans to settle in New Zealand". Radio New Zealand . 30 November 2021. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  111. ↑ "New twist in case of Afghan refugees trying to get to NZ". Radio New Zealand . 3 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  112. ↑ "Afghans still stranded despite court ruling allowing them into New Zealand". Radio New Zealand . 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  113. ↑ Whyte, Anna; Producer, Senior Digital Political. "Behrouz Boochani calls for urgent resettlement in New Zealand of refugees in limbo". 1 News. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  114. ↑ Ewing, Isobel; Hurley, Emma (30 May 2019). "Ten things you need to know about Golriz Ghahraman". Newshub . Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  115. ↑ "Guled Mire". Inspiring Stories. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  116. ↑ "Former refugee Guled Mire wins Fulbright Award after being told 'university wasn't for him' by teachers". 1News. TVNZ. 6 August 2020. p. 1. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  117. ↑ "From refugee to MP: Labour's Ibrahim Omer says he'll fight for low-paid workers in maiden speech". 1 News. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  118. ↑ Snowdon, Gemma (24 October 2018). "Kiwi Legend: The Chilean refugee who became a New Zealand cycling star". The Spinoff. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  119. ↑ "Ann Beaglehole: What do John Key and Nicky Hager have in common?". Stuff. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2019.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.