June 15 2019 INL_Digital_Edition

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JUNE 15, 2019
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Another $25 million to block human traffickers
Laura Walters
foreign fighters returning to Asian
countries like Indonesia and Malaysia
from attempting to make it to
The Wellbeing Budget
New Zealand, he said this was “not
contained a surprise immigration
initiative, aimed at
The politics of resettlement
specifically” about foreign fighters.
stopping ‘boat people.’ This is
There is no doubt some coalition
not a new risk. So, why the big boost
now?
The Government has allocated an
extra $25 million over four years to
preventing people being smuggled to
New Zealand by boat.
It was a surprise new initiative in
the 2019 Budget, and seemed more
in line with what an Australian
budget initiative might look like, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway (Newsroom Picture by Lynn Grieveson)
politics at play, with the Green Party
opposed to the extra spending, and
calling for a higher refugee quota.
Meanwhile, New Zealand First
supported the new initiative.
The funding increase needed
to be looked at as part of New
Zealand’s wider settlement policy,
which is currently under review,
and public scrutiny.
with its anti-boat people rhetoric.
There was suggestion from some
that this was an anti-immigration
policy, and could be credited to New
Zealand First.
Keeping people safe
However, the Government
maintains the money is targeted at
keeping people safe, and preventing
them from attempting the treacherous
journey.
There is nothing new about New
Zealand’s immigration officials
working to prevent people from
getting on boats in Asian countries
– like Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri
Lanka – and attempting to make it to
New Zealand.
So far, no one has made it.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
Assistant General Manager Stephen
Vaughan said that the Department
currently has staff in Indonesia and
others based in Wellington doing
strategic coordination, operational
management and intelligence work.
“Having an on-the-ground
presence in Indonesia has proved
invaluable in building relationships
and enhancing New Zealand’s
intelligence collection,” he said.
However, the significant increase
in funding (from just over $1 million
a year, to close to $6 million a year),
rightly raised eyebrows, especially as
part of a Wellbeing Budget.
People smugglers active
Last year, a Parliamentary select
committee heard from INZ Head Of
Settlement Steve McGill that chatter
from people-smugglers, who were
selling New Zealand as a destination,
had not increased as a result of the
country’s change of government.
The suggestion was Jacinda Ardern’s
push for Australia to resettle
some of its Manus Island and Nauru
refugees in New Zealand had led to
New Zealand being seen as a more
viable option for asylum-seekers.
While talk from people-smuggling
syndicates targeting New Zealand
had not increased as a result of
Ardern’s comments, the Government
said that the general risk of
people-smuggling was increasing.
Immigration Minister Iain
Lees-Galloway said people-trafficking
was on the rise around the
world, and in the Asia-Pacific region.
Boats were getting bigger, and
people-smuggling ventures were
becoming more sophisticated, he
said.
Tanker to New Zealand stopped
About a year ago, Malaysian
authorities stopped a tanker, supposedly
headed for New Zealand, with
more than 100 Sri Lankan asylum
seekers onboard. This was believed
to be the first credible attempt in
terms of a boat that could have
made it to New Zealand shores.
Lees-Galloway said that the
Government was investing in people
and technology to help disrupt
people-smuggling ventures before
they got on the water.
“We want to save people’s lives,
and stop them putting their lives at
risk and attempting a journey which,
as I say, no one has successfully
achieved,” he said.
INZ’s Vaughan said that the new
funding included provision for extra
staff to increase New Zealand’s mass
arrival prevention and response
efforts, and boost the department’s
intelligence capability.
Lees-Galloway said it was not yet
decided where the additional staff
would be placed offshore.
Ardern also backed the spending,
saying it was consistent with New
Zealand’s longstanding policy, and
would save lives.
Aussie pressure denied
The extra spend would likely
please Australia, which in the past
has accused New Zealand of not
pulling its weight in this area.
The Immigration Minister said
efforts needed to be coordinated
within the region, but denied any
pressure had come from Australia to
increase funding or New Zealand’s
presence.
When asked whether preventing
In 2013, the former National
government changed the law to
allow for the detention of mass
arrivals by boat.
Human rights observers, including
Green MP Golriz Ghahraman
have criticised the law, which allows
for the detention of those seeking
asylum.
When asked whether the extra
money into prevention at the point
of departure meant the 2013 law
could be repealed, Lees-Galloway
said that law would stay as it was,
“for now.”
“That’s as much about having
good processes for dealing with
claims of asylum as it is about
preventing people from seeing New
Zealand as a soft touch,” he said.
Largest deterrent
“I would hope that the largest
deterrent is the fact that no one has
made it here, and that it remains a
treacherous, dangerous journey.”
Meanwhile, the Government is
coming under pressure to change its
refugee policy to allow those from
Africa and the Middle East - who
don’t have family links in New
Zealand - to resettle here.
The regional allocation and
family links parts of the refugee
policy were under review – as it was
every three years.
Lees-Galloway had described
India, Britain groups join hands for trade alliance
Supplied Content (Edited)
World Cup 2019’
got off to a flyer with
New Zealand India
Trade Alliance (NZITA)
‘Cricket
and the British New
Zealand Business Association
(BNZBA) inking their intensions at a
full house at Eden Park on May 29,
2019, on the eve of the Cricket World
Cup 2019.
The agreement aims to increase
trade between India, UK and New
Zealand.
BNZBA President Philip Wood said
that the Cooperation Agreement will
allow both organisations to provide
a regular and recognised platform
for promotion, innovation, entrepreneurship,
and start-ups between
India, UK and New Zealand.
Growing Opportunities
Membership of the two organisations
account for private sector
innovators, business owners, professionals
and managers, creating
scope to expand trade opportunities
within the region.
“There are huge growth opportunities
in the Commonwealth, but it
is extremely hard to build the right
relationships without assistance and
market knowledge.”
NZITA Vice-Chairman Dr Don Brash and BNZBA President & Executive Director Philip Wood (first and second from right) with NZITA Treasurer
Pawan Chopra and Sunil Kaushal (first and second from left) at the Signing Ceremony in Eden Park on May 29, 2019. (Picture Supplied)
Speaking at the signing ceremony,
NZITA Secretary General Sunil
Kaushal said, “The relationship will
promote cooperation and shared
information with regard to trade,
market development, and services
for members of each group. The
Agreement will make it easier for
New Zealand based companies
to expand into the Indian and UK
markets,” he said.
Areas of Coverage
The Agreement covers areas of
trade, commerce and industry with
a systematic approach to business
promotional activity, and participation
in exhibitions and trade fairs
to be held in New Zealand, UK and
India.
Earlier at the event, New Zealand
Cricket General Manager (High
Performance) Bryan Stronach said
that Blackcaps are working hard to
win their first Cricket World Cup
Trophy.
He was joined by Blackcaps
Opener Jeet Raval and New Zealand
the decision not to resettle those
from Africa and the Middle East
as part of the general policy as
“discriminatory.”
And while he would not say –
likely for fear of getting offside with
Winston Peters who did not see an
issue with the policy – it was clear
Lees-Galloway did not favour the
ban on refugees from Africa and the
Middle East.
Paper to Cabinet soon
Lees-Galloway was consulting
with the Greens and New Zealand
First and was expected to take a
proposal to Cabinet soon.
Labour had shared its position on
the policy with its coalition partners
but he refused to elaborate further
in public.
Having a sound resettlement
policy was part of the picture when
it came to deterring people-trafficking,
Lees-Galloway said.
“We need to ensure there are
legitimate pathways to people seeking
refuge and asylum ... Because if
those are working well, there is less
incentive for people to take the risk
of engaging with people-smugglers.”
Last year, the coalition
announced the refugee quota would
rise from 1000 to 1500 by 2020.
The Budget allowed for $140
million over four years to support
the quota increase, and to “ensure
successful refugee settlement
outcomes.”
Meanwhile, a community sponsorship
pilot had also run over the
past year, allowing for a further 25
refugees to resettle in New Zealand.
Laura Walters Laura Walters
is a Senior Political Reporter of
Newsroom based in Wellington,
covering Justice, Education
and Immigration. The above
article, which appeared on the
Newsroom website has been
reproduced here under a Special
Agreement.
Cricket Players Association Chief
Executive Heath Mills for a panel
discussion which ranged from the
Players’ Personal and Professional
Development, participation in the
India Premier League and building
the next generation of Black Caps
from the grass roots.
The event was hosted by Eden
Park who are looking forward to a
busy Summer of Cricket featuring
the touring Indian and England
teams.
About NZITA & BNZBA:
NZITA is a not-for-profit organisation,
created to promote Closer
Economic Relationship Agreement
in goods and services between New
Zealand and India with mutual
advantages for the two countries
and members of NZITA.
BNZBA promotes trade and investment
relations between Britain and
New Zealand. The Association comprises
businesses and individuals
with a strong interest in developing
the business relationship between
the UK and New Zealand.
Further information can be
obtained from Sunil Kaushal on
021-2804189, and Philip Wood on
021-2240915.