New accommodation blocks to boost refugee capacity

Friday, 18 May 2018

Existing accommodation blocks at Auckland's Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre.

The Government has confirmed new accommodation blocks are being built at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre in anticipation of an increase to the refugee quota.

Stuff reported the development earlier this month in a story that revealed almost a third of refugees arriving in New Zealand since March last year have had to remain at the centre beyond the end of a six-week reception programme.

The reason: a shortage of housing in resettlement areas around the country.

The Government included $7.7 million to build and operate two new accommodation blocks as well as an additional $6.2m in operating funding over the next four years for the Auckland centre in the budget.

* 'Housing crisis' hits refugees as Government looks to boost bed capacity

* New Zealand refugee quota upped to 1000 - 'stinks of a Government that doesn't care', say advocates**

The development is expected to be finished by May next year, and will provide up to 80 additional beds on top of the existing 196 at the centre.

'The centre provides an excellent welcome to refugees who come to New Zealand from desperate situations,' Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said.

'The investment will improve its capacity and help us meet future committments.'

The refugee quota is due to increase to 1500 by 2020, 500 more than the quota the previous Government committed to from July this year.

Lees-Galloway said a formal decision on the implementation of the increased quota had yet to be made, but said the new builds were necessary to make good on the commitment.

New operating funding of $3.8m has been dedicated to the Refugee and Protection Unit over the next four years, plus $335,000 this year, to help alleviate housing shortages for quota refugees and ensure asylum and protection claims can be processed more quickly.

Red Cross National Migration Programmes Manager Rachel O'Connor said the organisation was pleased to see the funding increase.

'New Zealand provides an excellent resettlement programme for refugees and extra funding for the Refugee and Protection Unit will be beneficial for people seeking refuge in Aotearoa.'

There are six intakes of quota refugees every year at Māngere, averaging about 170 at a time. The additional beds will allow larger intakes, should that be required, when the quota increases.

Immigration New Zealand has said another four or five settlement locations will also be required by 2020 on top of the existing seven around the country.

Christchurch is expected to be one of them.