Latest news with #TheDetail
Scoop
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
A Never-Ending Visa Queue For Refugees
It could take 10 years to clear a refugee visa waiting queue - but those applicants have already been waiting for seven years, and some have families in danger. When Dawt Tha Thang arrived in New Zealand in 2010, she was with her husband and five of her children. Within weeks, she gave birth to her youngest. But her eldest daughter stayed behind in Myanmar. She had just married and was pregnant. The Thangs are Christian Chins and as a minority, have faced persecution - it is how they became refugees - but over the past several years things have become even more dangerous in Myanmar. First, in 2021 there was a military coup and the country descended into civil war. Then, this March, there was an earthquake that killed thousands. "Myanmar as a whole is a pretty awful situation, with the civil war and the earthquake and forced conscription, but this is a family that ... also comes from a persecuted minority. They have been shaken down in [the capital city] Yangon, ie the army comes round and demands money or they will be sent to jail. They're moving every second or third night to stay away from the army," says Caroline Forsyth, who is friends with the family and speaks on their behalf to The Detail. Under the Refugee Family Support Category (RFSC), the Thangs can apply to bring their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren here to join them. And the last time applications opened, they did. That was in 2017. They have been closed since then. Right now, the queue is 4190 people long, with only a few applicants coming off that list every year. But the scale of the problem is much bigger, because it does not represent all the people who have not even had a chance to apply. In today's episode of The Detail, Jay Marlowe - professor of social work at Auckland University and co-author with the Red Cross of a report on the RFSC - explains how the category works - and does not. "It's not our position that the RFSC is not working or is absolutely broken... for me fundamentally it's about ensuring that we protect what exists but also to recognise that it is under need of reform," he says. "It's not irreparably broken, but it does need reform." Under the RFSC there are two tiers. Tier One is for people who have come here as refugees who have no other adult family in the country, and Tier Two is for people who do have adult family - like the Thangs, who are a married couple and now have adult children - but have other adult family who they would like to reunite with as well. Tier One is prioritised, because people applying in that category do not have any support here. That category remains open for applications, but Tier Two has only opened for applications twice. The first time was in 2012, and the second was in 2017. Both times, it was only for a few days, and Forsyth and Marlowe say the system was inundated with applications. There are only 600 places a year open for the RFSC, and because Tier One is always open and those applications are prioritised, very few Tier Two applicants get through. This leaves people like the Thangs in a holding pattern, unsure of when - if ever - they will be able to reunite with their families. In their case, their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are hungry, they have lost family members to military violence, and the children can not go to school. They have attempted to escape to Thailand, where they'd be able to register as refugees, but haven't been able to. Last month, Labour MP Phil Twyford asked Associate Immigration Minister Casey Costello and General Manager, Refugee and Migrant Service Fiona Whiteridge, for an update on progress. Whiteridge said that "in order to clear that tier two queue, and it obviously is all dependent on how many more people applying to tier one, it would take us between eight to 10 years". Marlowe says there is clear research that reuniting people with their families has a broad range of benefits and the government should think about this category not just in terms of what it costs, but also what it might save in the long term. "Not only does it make sense to reunite families ... but it might even make dollars and cents. "Family reunification is often one of the most important, if not the most important, topic that people want to address." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.
Newsroom
21 hours ago
- General
- Newsroom
Broken visa process leaves broken families
When Dawt Tha Thang arrived in New Zealand in 2010, she was with her husband and five of her children. Within weeks, she gave birth to her youngest. But her eldest daughter stayed behind, in Myanmar. She'd just married and was pregnant. The Thangs are Christian Chins and as a minority, have faced persecution – it's how they became refugees – but over the past several years things have become even more dangerous in Myanmar. First, in 2021 there was a military coup and the country descended into civil war. Then, this March, there was an earthquake that killed thousands. 'Myanmar as a whole is a pretty awful situation, with the civil war and the earthquake and forced conscription, but this is a family that … also comes from a persecuted minority. They have been shaken down in [the capital city] Yangon, i.e. the army comes round and demands money or they will be sent to jail. They're moving every second or third night to stay away from the army,' says Caroline Forsyth, who is friends with the family and speaks on their behalf to The Detail. Under the Refugee Family Support Category (RFSC), the Thangs can apply to bring their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren here to join them. And the last time applications opened, they did. That was in 2017. They've been closed since then. Right now, the queue is 4190 people long, with only a few applicants coming off that list every year. But the scale of the problem is much bigger, because it doesn't represent all the people who haven't even had a chance to apply. In today's episode of The Detail, Jay Marlowe, who is a professor of social work at Auckland University and co-author with the Red Cross of a report on the RFSC, explains how the category works – and doesn't. 'It's not our position that the RFSC is not working or is absolutely broken … for me fundamentally it's about ensuring that we protect what exists but also to recognise that it is under need of reform,' he says. 'It's not irreparably broken, but it does need reform.' Under the RFSC there are two tiers. Tier one is for people who have come here as refugees who have no other adult family in the country, and tier two is for people who do have adult family – like the Thangs, who are a married couple and now have adult children – but have other adult family who they'd like to reunite with as well. Tier one is prioritised, because people applying in that category don't have any support here. That category remains open for applications, but tier two has only opened for applications twice. The first time was in 2012, and the second was in 2017. Both times, it was only for a few days, and Forsyth and Marlowe say the system was inundated with applications. There are only 600 places a year open for the RFSC, and because tier one is always open and those applications are prioritised, very few tier two applicants get through. This leaves people like the Thangs in a holding pattern, unsure of when, if ever, they will be able to reunite with their families. In their case, their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are hungry, they have lost family members to military violence, and the children can't go to school. They've attempted to escape to Thailand, where they should be able to register as refugees, but haven't been able to. Last month, Labour MP Phil Twyford asked Associate Immigration Minister Casey Costello and MBIE general manager, refugee and migrant service Fiona Whiteridge, for an update on progress. Whiteridge said that 'in order to clear that tier two queue, and it obviously is all dependent on how many more people applying to tier one, it would take us between eight to 10 years.' Marlowe says there is clear research that reuniting people with their families has a broad range of benefits and the Government should think about this category not just in terms of what it costs, but also what it might save in the long term. 'Not only does it make sense to reunite families … but it might even make dollars and cents. 'Family reunification is often one of the most important, if not the most important, topic that people want to address.' Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
Newsroom
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsroom
Urban, Māori and disconnected – the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election
Tāmaki Makaurau isn't just any seat; it's a spiritual and political stronghold for urban Māori. Names like Sir Pita Sharples and John Tamihere echo through the halls of its political past, with fierce loyalty often split between Labour's red banner and Te Pāti Māori's fast rising tide. Now, on September 6, in what is being billed as a pivotal political contest, two prominent Māori will vie for that seat, in a by-election triggered by the sudden death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp last month. On one side is Peeni Henare, the seasoned Labour warrior, once a Cabinet minister, once the seat's representative, now back seeking redemption. On the other is Oriini Kaipara, the former television journalist turned politician – a fresh face for Te Pāti Māori, with a moko kauae and a mission to amplify the voices of whānau who feel abandoned by politicians – particularly the coalition Government. Hannah Tamaki, the wife of Brian, is also standing for Vision New Zealand. National, the Greens, NZ First and ACT have all ruled out participating in the by-election. RNZ political reporter Tu Natanahira tells The Detail the seat is of one of the most strategically important Māori electorates in the country. 'First and foremost, the seat is sort of the birthplace of what was then called the Māori Party, now Te Pāti Māori,' he says. 'All of the conversations, all of the thrust for the party, much of that was discussed out West Auckland at Hoani Waititi Marae, which is also where Oriini Kaipara's selection to run in the seat was announced and decided by Te Pāti Māori members. 'The seat…. has an enormous Māori population and importantly, much of that Māori population is pan-tribal and, of course, it is urban. It's a very important seat to get because you get a sense of what urban Māori want or what urban Māori are looking for. 'Labour's Peeni Henare, of course, has had a lot of success in that seat.' Henare first won it in 2014 and held it until the last general election, when Kemp beat him by just 42 votes. Now he's back, with a promise to rebuild trust and bring Labour's values back to the Māori heartland. Kaipara, a mother of four and a grandmother, wants a focus on Māori families, who, she says, are bearing the brunt of housing shortages and a struggling health system. 'Both of the candidates are running on similar platforms, and it all comes down to the cost of living, housing, and making a better life for people living in Auckland,' Natanahira tells The Detail. 'It's going to be a really tight [race].' So, with less than seven weeks until voting closes, there's no clear favourite. Advance voting will be critical, and turnout will make or break the result. Journalist and Auckland University senior media advisor Te Rina Ruka-Triponel tells The Detail that the now-defunct Treaty Principles Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill are among the issues that are front of mind for Māori and will 'hopefully encourage them to vote'. 'Reflecting on what's been happening, who is in charge at the moment, and how do our values align with theirs; if they don't, that's exactly why you should vote in the by-election,' she says. 'But I also want to touch on something really important… there are many reasons why Māori don't vote because they don't subscribe to the Crown, they don't believe in the Crown, and it's kind of this never-ending cycle of never having your voices heard. 'But I also want to make a point that by voting, we get our people in, and that way our voices are heard. We have got to put someone in there who is going to represent us.' Whatever happens, Tāmaki Makaurau will again become a bellwether for the Māori political mood. Is Labour still the party of the people? Or is Te Pāti Māori the face of rangatiratanga? And only the people of Tāmaki Makaurau will decide which matters most. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
Newsroom
5 days ago
- Health
- Newsroom
Where do the neurodiverse children play?
Mac and Maria Pouniu couldn't take their autistic son Mattias to a playground without feeling overwhelmed and judged by onlookers. Instead of staying at home, isolated and alone, the couple decided to take a negative experience and turn it into something positive – a play centre for kids like their son. About five years later, standing amidst the delightful chaos of a busy Wednesday morning, Poinui tells The Detail that Spectroom is more than just a play zone. It's a safe space where children with different disabilities – not just autism – can be themselves in an environment designed to let them play freely. 'A lot of our kids have grown up in that environment where they have very limited access to resources and they have very restricted access to things. 'Parents have become so used to, 'Oh nah we've never done that, oh nah we're not going to do that',' Mac says. But when parents come into an environment where their child can explore and they can take a step back, they see a whole different child. 'It's because we've never put them in a space where they can actually be themselves without restrictions,' he says. The diagnosis of Mattias led Maria Pounui to leave her job in marketing, retrain and work for Autism New Zealand as a play coach. She's the other half of the driving force behind Spectroom. Her long-term goal is to build a facility with wrap-around services for neurodivergent people of all ages, from day care for the little ones, to mock apartments for adults to practise everyday tasks. 'We started with our little ones because that's all the funding that I had … but the goal is at the end to have these services where we can assist and support our community when they are adults,' she says. Maria Pounui says while there are existing services already helping people with disabilities there simply aren't enough to serve all neurodiverse people. 'We need to have services that are umbrella services … because transitions for our kids with disabilities are really hard,' she says. Spectroom received global recognition within a year of opening, with FIFA asking Mac and Maria to build a similar sensory space at their centre at Eden Park. 'It's a quiet, dim space for our kids, also for adults, for them to go when they get overwhelmed. 'Especially for example at Eden Park when people get overwhelmed with crowd, crowded spaces, it could be anything, lighting, sound, and that triggers some people… and then sometimes they need a space to go into to recharge, recoup,' Mac says. The sensory room was only meant to stay for the duration of the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup but it was so popular that Eden Park asked to keep it permanently. Now it's been expanded and Mac says they're working on a similar facility in Manukau, where he says the need is highest. 'The original plan was to set one here, one in Wellington and one in Christchurch, that is still in the pipeline. But we have also recently become a trust. 'Becoming a trust is not as straightforward as becoming a trust and then get funding; you still have to go through the whole process of proving who we are, why we need the funding and then we need to target our right audience. 'It's really important that we get it right from the beginning, but we do plan to set more [facilities] around the country?' Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
Newsroom
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsroom
Paying for the reality of climate change
The 100-year floods are rolling in on a regular basis; the rain doesn't let up; no one wants a cliff-top property anymore. Climate change is no longer just about things you can't see or touch. It's about running from rising water and bailing out the basement. 'I think there has been a lot of emphasis both in reporting and in people's understanding of climate change … and the science behind that and how it's getting worse,' says RNZ In Depth reporter Kate Newton. 'We're now starting to shift our focus because of these severe weather events that we're seeing more frequently, and at a greater level of severity, to what that actually means for us now, and the fact that climate change is no longer this far-off, distant prospect, but something that is affecting real people and real lives, at this very moment.' Today on The Detail we look at how we adapt to this new normal, and who will pay for it, after a report by an Independent Reference Group recommended essentially that the days of property buy-outs have a limited life. The reference group included economists, iwi, bankers, insurance and local government representatives and was set up by the Ministry for the Environment. Newton goes through the findings on climate mitigation and adaption, which she says are politically unpalatable, and extremely expensive. 'There's a whole lot that goes into it and every step of it is complex and every step of it is expensive. But we also need to remember that even if we do nothing, it's still expensive. 'I think the top estimates of costs involved with Cyclone Gabrielle was $14.5 billion – it's a huge amount of money. 'But you're looking at things like, even just understanding where the risk is, and how severe that risk is, and how it might change in the future – it's a huge amount of work.' The Government wants bipartisan support on decisions because future certainty is required but also, Newton points out, because of the bleak message it's likely to send – in the words of one critic: 'You are on your own'. But firm decisions are unlikely to come any time soon. 'It's something that's been a long time coming and I think [Climate Change Minister] Simon Watts is running into similar problems to his predecessor James Shaw, who tried for six years to pass a climate change adaptation act,' says Newton. The main issue with that failure was around the complexity of how we do it and who pays for it. 'This is one of those big thorny issues that if you're changing the rules and changing how people adapt every three or six or nine years, it gives nobody any certainty in the future.' Earth Sciences NZ (which is the merger of Niwa with GNS) has done a huge amount of modelling work around the country, mapping coastal inundation risks, and its next body of work due out soon is on inland inundation. Other bodies of work have pointed out that we need spatial planning to avoid destruction by weather in the future. That includes identifying areas of particular risk, and having a plan for them, whether that is creating a wetland or building a sea wall or stop banks, or if a retreat from an area should be mandated. But councils aren't required by legislation to do such work; and if the Government puts a cap on rates as it's discussing, it's likely they won't be able to. They just won't have the money. Small councils also have the issue that their planning departments might consist of one or two people, and the job is far bigger than that. As well, specialists who were doing such work have had job cuts – and those experts have gone overseas where their skills are in demand. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
