'Totally unacceptable' refugee policy's removal was long overdue - Meng Foon

Meng Foon wants to "build" on the goodwill of good New Zealanders.

Removing New Zealand's "unfair, discriminatory and racist" refugee policy was a move long overdue by the Government, Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon said today. 

"It was totally unacceptable that this policy singled out African and Middle Eastern refugees, treating them unfairly in comparison to other refugees," Mr Foon said. 

The Government's scrapping of the rule came after months of questioning by media and advocates about the policy that explicitly prevented refugees from Africa and the Middle East coming to New Zealand, unless they already have family living here.

"No one chooses to be a refugee," Mr Foon said. "The average stay in a refugee camp is about 18 years and the conditions are appalling."

The family link rule prevented New Zealand from meeting its own refugee targets.

Mr Foon said it was life changing to a refugee to be able to resettle in New Zealand. He gave acknowledgments to former refugee Guled Mire "for his strong advocacy in this area, to ensure fairer policies for refugees coming to Aotearoa". 

"Many refugees who are skilled and have experience as business people will be given a chance to make a new life and prosperous future after events such as internal or external war have devastated their original homes," Mr Foon said. 

Today's scrapping of the family link policy was also welcomed by UN Refugee Agency regional representative Louise Aubin, who recently spoke to 1 NEWS about New Zealand's commitment to the refugee crisis

The UN’s refugee regional representative sat down with 1 NEWS to explain what New Zealand is doing to help, and what needs to happen.

"UNHCR welcomes today's shift in New Zealand policy that means, irrespective of their location around the world, refugees have the opportunity to restart their lives in a safe and welcoming community," Ms Aubin said. 

She described the three-year resettlement policy as showing solidarity to the countries hosting a large number of refugees. 

"Eighty-four per cent of the world’s 25.9 million refugees live in developing countries, with the vast majority in countries neighbouring their homelands like Bangladesh, Uganda and Lebanon."

Less than seven per cent of refugees identified by UNHRC were resettled in 2018. 

"In the face of these needs, women at risk, people with disabilities, unaccompanied children and survivors of violence and torture are prioritised. UNHCR welcomes the opportunity to continue its longstanding partnership with New Zealand to address these priority resettlement needs," Ms Aubin said. 

New Zealand’s refugee policy discriminates against those from Africa and the Middle East. Experts say it could breach our human rights obligations.

Amnesty International Aotearoa's Annaliese Johnston called the family link a "discriminatory and ill-informed policy". 

"This is a historical wrong that’s now been made right. Some families seeking refuge from these regions have been waiting for months if not years in dangerous situations and the policy essentially blocked them from ever finding safety here."

The policy meant refugees from Africa, Middle East needed family already living in NZ in order to come here.

Ms Johnston said New Zealand still wasn't pulling its weight in the number of refugees it accepts.

"Australia, known for its anti-refugee sentiments, still beats us by accepting almost double what we do."

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