The Indian Weekender, Friday 6 November 2020

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14 NEW ZEALAND Friday, November 6, 2020 The Indian Weekender Hopes pinned on Labour’s manifesto leading to significant immigration changes RADIO NEW ZEALAND Migrant groups are looking ahead to what changes the new Labour government will make to border and visa rules. Labour’s manifesto signalled an overhaul of partnership visas, reducing barriers to the parent category and reviewing Pacific immigration. It said it would set aside one in 10 managed isolation places for overseas workers. Kris Faafoi, who took over as Immigration Minister from Iain Lees-Galloway before the election, retained the portfolio in yesterday’s Cabinet announcements. Phil Twyford takes over as Associate Minister of Immigration. Having ruled out a coalition with the Green Party, and with New Zealand First not returning to Parliament, the government’s plans on immigration - as outlined in its manifesto - set out key policy changes. “Labour will open up our settings to get more people into the country, while maintaining robust controls at the border,” it said. “Labour will review immigration criteria to enable a broader range of workers to enter New Zealand [and] establish a new Investment Attraction Strategy to encourage targeted and highvalue international investment into New Zealand. “Labour will reduce barriers to access the parent category visa, including reconsidering the current provisions once the international flow of people across the border settles, and reducing the income thresholds.” It said it would ensure partnership visa rules were “up-to-date, culturally appropriate, and represent international best practice”. Immigration settings would also be updated and the government would explore implementing modern slavery legislation to eliminate exploitation in supply chains. It would consider climate-related migration policies among its plans to ensure that immigration policies worked in the “in the best interests of New Zealand, Pacific migrants and Pacific Island nations”. NZ Immigrants Association volunteer community advocate Marie Lindaya welcomed further work on migrant exploitation, as she still heard of employers feeding on workers’ desperation to find work, giving them low pay and poor working hours. "Labour will reduce barriers to access the parent category visa, including reconsidering the current provisions once the international flow of people across the border settles, and reducing the income thresholds R E S T A U R A N T S Delivering Happiness Since 2015 Come celebrate with us! Celebrate this Diwali with joy and sweets from Shivani. Diwali gift packs, boxes and baskets now available. Mt Roskill, Papatoetoe, Hamilton and online at www.shivani.co.nz Call now 0800 SHIVANI Government plans to better match the needs of employers in different regions with the talents and aspirations of immigrants sounded good in theory, she added. “This is great but the proof is in the pudding,” she said. “I would like to see some community road show kōrero and consultations with ethnic migrants and former refugees on this. Talk to us about us is our mantra.” Work on refugee family reunification and settlement needed to happen faster, she said. “Three to five years’ wait is too long and some family members back home, especially elderly parents, may die waiting. But again and again this has been echoed to MBIE every year when they meet regionally with former refugees. I’ve attended some of these meetings. A simpler, easier process and English language needs to be used as well and less technical, legal jargon.” Migrant Workers Association president Anu Kaloti said government’s first priorities should be easing some border restrictions. “The priority would be the people who have been stuck offshore for the last eight months,” she said. “They need to be looked after straight away. And then the partners, families, couples who need to be reunited, that’s another emergency. And then, people who have been on a pathway to residence for 5+ years, they need immediate relief in some form or another. “We’re okay if they want to stop new people coming in, all we’re asking is the ones who are already here, they need to be well looked after. We’ve got many families who have been here 10 years easily and they have children who were born here. Their children go to school here, they don’t know anywhere else as home.” Many had come as international students when tertiary education was being promoted as a pathway to residence, she said. She also called for work visas to be opened up while the borders are closed, so foreign workers who are already here could fill labour gaps in dairy farms and orchards. Immigrants were more likely to be willing to work in the regions, she added, as they often did not have the family networks that stopped many New Zealanders from moving for work.
The Indian Weekender Friday, November 6, 2020 NEW ZEALAND 15 JACINDA ARDERN reveals top economic priorities government will focus on for rest of 2020 RADIO NEW ZEALAND disproportionately impacted by job losses to date. My hope is the expanded flexi-wage scheme will play an important role in helping people from these groups to get quickly back into work. “While the scheme will take some time to fully get up and running we want to be in a position to assist business to take on workers over the Christmas New Year period if they can, rather than waiting until after the holiday period,’’ she says. Cabinet will also consider additional projects to go through the Resource Management Act fast-track process over the next two weeks. Ardern told Business NZ that wider reform of the RMA was a priority and the minister-in-charge, David Parker, intended to progress work through the House on that in the first half of next year. Prior to the election last month, Labour had also indicated wanting to reform sick leave provisions and boost the number from five days to 10. “Making sure that workers are well supported to stay home when they are unwell is an important part of our The government will prioritise extending the small business loan scheme, rolling out the flexi-wage job support programme and fasttracking more infrastructure projects in the weeks leading up to Christmas. In a speech to Business New Zealand in Auckland, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern outlined the top economic priorities for what’s left of 2020, with a focus on speeding up job creation and boosting exports. “Before Christmas we will extend the Small Business Loan Scheme out to three years and extend the interest free period to two years. We will also extend the purpose of the scheme and allow business to borrow to invest in new equipment and digital infrastructure,’’ Ardern said. Making those changes before Christmas would give small business owners certainty, especially ahead of a holiday period where income could drop off for many, she said. Ardern also pointed to yesterday’s “better than expected unemployment numbers’’, which she said highlighted the relative strength of New Zealand’s economy, with fewer people unemployed here than in Australia, the US and Canada. “However, we cannot rest on our laurels and we want to see more New Zealanders obtain work, which is why we are prioritising the roll out of the flexi-wage scheme prior to Christmas.’’ The government would invest an additional $311 million into the programme “to increase the average subsidy paid to employers to take on a worker and enable an additional 40,000 unemployed people to take advantage of the programme”, Ardern said. “Māori, Pasifika and women have been Covid response, and in our view, the current provision of 5 days is not sufficient,’’ Ardern said. “That’s why cabinet will consider draft legislation before Christmas, with a plan to introduce this in the house before the end of the year, but then move to a full select committee process so we can try and build some consensus around this issue.” Trade relationships and boosting exports were also front-and-centre for Ardern and she said a trade mission was a top priority when the border settings allowed it. "Making sure that workers are well supported to stay home when they are unwell is an important part of our Covid response, and in our view, the current provision of 5 days is not sufficient" “I have already asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for advice around leading a delegation into several key markets, including Europe and the UK where we have already begun negotiations on critical free trade agreements as well as China and the US. “Doing all we can to improve market access will assist an export led recovery. And telling our story of how we have successfully managed Covid to date can also help to attract international investment in to productive aspects of the New Zealand economy to assist the recovery.” • IMMIGRATION LAW • CRIMINAL LAW • FAMILY LAW • EMPLOYMENT LAW • PROPERTY LAW • WILLS & TRUSTS Winner of Indian Business Award 2018 • Supreme Business of the year •Excellence in marketing • Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year • Businesswoman of the year(Special award) Winner of Indian Business Awards 2017 • Best Employer of choice • Best Medium-sized Business Winner of Indian Business Awards 2016 • Best Businesswoman of the year * Terms & conditions apply Raj and Ashima Singh • 31, East Tamaki Road, Level–1 Papatoetoe, Auckland.Ph: +64 9 2799439 | 02102417161 | Fax: +64 9 2799419 • PO BOX 23445, Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe, Auckland. 2025 (Above Bank Of India) | www.legalassociates.co.nz CONTACT US AT: RAJ:raj@legalassociates.co.nz / ASHIMA: ashima@legalassociates.co.nz LEGAL CLINIC FREE 2-hour legal consultation. Saturday - 10 am to 12 pm
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The Indian Weekender, Friday 6 November 2020

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