What are New Zealand’s next steps to help resolve the Manus Island crisis?
How will New Zealand’s proposed places for ‘climate change refugees’ work?
How can we change policy so asylum seekers get the same rights as quota refugees?
Join our newest MP, New Zealand’s first former refugee, who will address, ‘Where is New Zealand’s refugee policy headed next?’
The Refugee Council of New Zealand is honoured to welcome featured speaker
Ms. Ghahraman as part of our Annual General Meeting.
When: Saturday, November 25th. Speaker at 4:00pm.
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Where: The Trade Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.
All are most welcome.
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Check out our website: http://rc.org.nz
And perhaps another question.
What is it that’s different from WASP and ‘Noble Savage’ people (that is people crossing national borders in search of a better life economically, socially and for environmental reasons – ALONGSIDE political turmoil – Thiels, Europeans, Canadians), and the refugee from Africa, Central and East Asia branded and labelled as ‘economic refugees’ ?
– Is it that they apparently make better public servants who apparently have better credentials than their NZ counterparts because they come from overseas, and are already versed in the neo-liberal language of spin and obfuscation?
– Is it that their $ is generally worth more than NZ$ and they can therefore set themselves up more easily and ‘assimilate’ into white middle class NZ society – buying up all the lifestyle blocks and McMansions?
– Is it that they don’t mind a bit of hypocrisy if it ensures they have a comfy life?
– Is it that we’ve dreamed up the ‘economic refugee’ label to fit (actually Australia has) with a broader immigration policy – one that allows us to more readily refuse entry? One that allows us to keep sweat with our trans-Tasman cuzzies in the spirit of Anzacistan.
– And what are the exceptions to the rules of what we’ve labelled ‘the economic/non-genuine/queue jumper/illegal’ – is it merely that they could come equipped with a bundle of dubiously-earned filthy lucre OR merely that the WASP economic refugee is re-labelled ‘immigrant’.
Maybe we need to have a converrrsation going forward. (One in the new Esperanto: Neo-Liberalese). After all, we can’t be the world’s bleeding heart and why should any sort of principled, independent foreign policy-based approach come into it? (/sarc)
Is it possible that our attitudes to refugees and immigration generally are based on similar attitudes and prejudices depending on where ‘THEY’ come from, and that they’re more likely to fit with things like trading partners’ attitudes, colonial heritage, etc.
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