Refugee quota 3

The Waikato Times editorial comment of September 8 regarding refugees states, in part, ‘‘Money should not matter much when a humanitarian crisis is rapidly worsening and emergency measures are called for internationally.’’

It appears that the discussion must not be allowed to stray into numbers, or resources. Readers must not be confronted with the reality that Europe and New Zealand simply do not have the capacity to accommodate the numbers of people who seek sanctuary within their borders.

Readers must not be allowed to understand the concept of limits. So words like ‘‘more’’ and ‘‘increase’’ must not be used.

These advocates cannot deal in numbers – they say we must fund the arts, invest more in education or the health-care system or day- care or outreach programmes for under-represented minorities, but they will not say how much. When they say that we must run a deficit to kick-start the economy, they will not say how much or when it will be paid down. Their demands are always open-ended. The goal posts are always moving

New Zealand currently spends $58 million resettling quota refugees every year. The cost of the increased intake is $48.8m, plus contributing a further $4.5m in aid for Syria.

The Red Cross admits that the announced increase will stretch resources. A case of framing the language so the true cost is omitted.

Geoff Kreegher

Hamilton