‘Sweat shop’ students to return early

Poor living conditions for students in New Zealand as part of a Labourlinked scheme will see some fly home early — as Labour leader Andrew Little says “it is embarrassing, it is the wrong thing to do”.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse says it is possible employment standards and visa conditions were breached by the scheme for overseas students from the United States and United Kingdom to work on Labour’s campaign.

Labour stepped in to take over from former Labour staffer Matt McCarten after complaints from some of the 85 university students about the accommodation at a marae and the programme that was offered.

Woodhouse said Labour had to be sure it had not breached visa or employment laws.

Labour leader Andrew Little has admitted the scheme was a bad look for Labour and General Secretary Andrew Kirton took over the programme earlier this week after concerns about its organisation.

“I can’t deny it — it is embarrassing, it is the wrong thing to do,” said Little.

McCarten set up the programme while he was still with the Labour Party as its Auckland director. His contract ended in May and McCarten set up his own campaign group, which he claimed was non-partisan.

The Act Party earlier called on Immigration NZ to investigate the scheme, which it called a Labour campaign “sweat shop”.

Some of the roughly 85 overseas student volunteers who had been staying at Auckland’s Awataha Marae will be flown home early. Others will be billeted with Labour supporters and work on the campaign before going home.