Muslim Ban: What can we do to help?

New Zealand’s tiny refugee intake is an international shame, garnering criticism both from international leaders and civil society in New Zealand.

The tiny 2016 increase from 750 to 1000, the first time it has grown since 1987, was described by newspapers as ‘‘callous’’, ‘‘pathetic’’, and ‘‘needing a rethink’’.

Increasing the quota to at least 1500 places already has support from Labour, the Greens, United Future and the Opportunities Party, with the Ma¯ori Party and ACT also pushing for an increase.

Last year we worked with ActionStation members to press for more protection for refugees.

Write to Bill English and tell him the best way to show our values is to protect our fair share of people fleeing persecution. You can email b.english@ministers.govt.nz but I like to send him a good old-fashioned letter care of, The Rt Hon Bill English, Freepost, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. That usually does the trick.

Sign a petition asking for some of those refugees turned away from the US to have the option of coming to New Zealand. Last year we collected over 20,000 signatures of New Zealanders who wanted to double the quota and delivered this to the government.

The petition and public voice was instrumental to securing the first small increase in our refugee quota in 30 years. You can find a growing petition created by an ActionStation member at actionstation.org.nz/helprefugees

Organise locally. Only half of New Zealanders actually live in a place that resettles refugees – if you’re in one of the places that does not, why not talk to your community and see if it would be possible?

This is what a group did in Dunedin after the crisis hit the headlines in September 2015.

Less than a year later, Dunedin welcomed the first of a small but growing population of Syrian families. Ask local MPs to pledge their support for you and protecting refugees – it is an election year after all and they’ll be itching to help.

At the end of the year a community sponsorship scheme will be trialled with 25 places, likely to be based off of a Canadian model.

This number needs to be rapidly scaled up, and as with the Canadian approach, has to be used alongside a fair quota and not as a user-pays privatisation of refugee protection.

More information on the #DoubleTheQuota campaign can be found at www.facebook.com/AreWeDoingOurBit and www.doingourbit.co.nz/

Volunteer with the main resettlement agency, the NZ Red Cross. There are also more than a dozen other organisations around New Zealand’s six refugee locations such as supporting former refugees to learn to drive and sponsoring family members for relocation.

Donate goods or money. There are also opportunities through the Red Cross for everything from donating quality goods, to linking refugees to employment opportunities and setting up new homes with the basics. I particularly like to donate to the Refugee Family Reunification Trusts.

For opportunities to volunteer see www.redcross.org.nz/what-we-do/in-new-zealand/ refugee-programmes/ and for other organisations and resources see www.redcross.org.nz/what-wedo/in-new-zealand/refugee-programmes/ additional-resources/