The new Race Relations Commissioner says New Zealand's controversial family-link refugee rule is discriminatory and should change.
The rule explicitly prevents refugees from Africa and the Middle East coming to New Zealand, unless they already have family living here. The issue was highlighted on TVNZ1's Sunday in May, finding New Zealand's main refugee quota had been heavily impact by the policy.
New Zealand’s refugee policy discriminates against those from Africa and the Middle East. Experts say it could breach our human rights obligations. (Source: Other)
When asked if it was racist on TVNZ1's Q+A last night, the new Commissioner Meng Foon said, "it's discriminatory, absolutely".
"I understand it used to be two or three (refugees) out of ten that came from Africa and the Middle East. Now it's one in 20. Why is it?"
He said the Government should change the rule.
"I've got a keen eye on what's happening around the country."
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway reiterated a decision on the policy was expected "very soon".
He said in May that the policy was "the very definition of discrimination", but would not explicitly say whether the Government would change it.
But Iain Lees-Galloway wouldn’t tell Breakfast whether the policy regarding people from Africa and the Middle East will now change. (Source: Other)
When asked if it was discriminatory today, Mr Lees-Galloway said he acknowledged it treated one group of people differently from others.
In a statement, the UNHCR – the UN's refugee agency – told TVNZ's Sunday that refugee laws should be applied "without discrimination to race, religion or country of origin".
Amnesty International NZ called the family link policy "clearly discriminatory".
"The Government needs to scrap it. Especially in the wake of Christchurch, we need to see the government supporting vulnerable communities."
Q+A is on TVNZ1 on Mondays at 9.30pm, and the episode is then available on TVNZ OnDemand and as a podcast in all the usual places.
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