Pressure is mounting for migrants to be given temporary access to emergency benefits in the wake of Covid -19.
Advocates say the cost would be minimal but the government looks unlikely to change its approach.
A migrant working in Queenstown, who wants to remain anonymous out of fear of backlash, has been made redundant from his job as a chef. He's now planning to move north.
“To be honest it's pretty dead in Queenstown right now and from the last three weeks there's only been one or two jobs,” he said.
Financial pressure has forced him out of the room he was renting and into a hostel. He says he’s not sure how he will cope when the wage subsidy runs out.
For some, it’s worse with migrants skipping meals, according to advocates.
“So we have in the Social Security Act a section that during an epidemic it would enable migrants to access benefits, so it's just a matter of cabinet approving it. The laws would set temporary measures in place so we could set it for six months,” Ricardo Menéndez of Auckland Action Against Poverty said.
“What we do know for migrants, their future depends on employment so they won’t be relying on the benefit for a long time, what they need is emergency support for a temporary period so they can get back on their feet,” Mandeep Bela of the Union Network of Migrants said.
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni says cabinet has not considered the move while Jacinda Ardern says support has already been provided.
“We have deployed support, one of the things I've been clear on is we've done that without using the MSD offices instead we've offered it through the existing national emergency management groups - they've had the flexibility to support accomodation costs, food costs,” Ms Sepuloni said in a statement.
“The Government put a small amount towards the Civil Defence Fund but as we've seen it time and time again it only covers very basic pantry items,” Mr Menéndez said.
“We have said that it is temporary - we know we need a longer term solution,” the Prime Minister said.
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