EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT
AUCKLAND REFUGEE COUNCIL (INC)

AGM 2009

This year the focus of the Auckland Refugee Council has been very much on advocacy. As per our Constitution we have endeavoured to improve the conditions for both approved “Convention Refugees” and those claimants at the other end of the scale who having failed in their bid for refugee status await a humanitarian decision. To this end we have attended a number of meetings and workshops and most notably in March this year we met with the new Immigration Minister, Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman.

This visit took place at the ARCI Refugee Hostel in Avondale where the Minister was greeted first by the Hostel Residents who presented him with flowers. The Minister told us he was impressed by the warmth of the greeting and the efforts that had been made for his arrival.

The Executive Committee then spent some time with the Minister outlining a number of our main concerns.

One of the results of our discussions with the Minister was an Immigration New Zealand/Non-Government Organisation Working Group to look at how the needs of failed asylum seekers can be met. A report from the meeting was sent on to the Minister.

We again impressed upon the Minister the hardship endured by those asylum seekers who were not provided with a Work Permit during the time their claim was being processed. This dilemma has still to be addressed. New Zealand Immigration insists that the solution lies in the hands of the asylum seeks themselves to provide all the information on how they arrived in New Zealand. The reason asylum seekers cannot always comply is that they are so very afraid of the consequences this might bring on their family at home. Such is the fear that an agent can hold over hapless asylum seekers. While INZ argue that the government of New Zealand can be trusted, the experience of some asylum seeker of government officials in their own country is otherwise.

In order to make ourselves heard more forcefully it was decided that the Auckland Refugee Council Inc, Refugee Council of New Zealand and the Auckland Refugee Coalition, should combine forces to present our concerns to the quarterly meeting with Immigration New Zealand. The first combined meeting took place on March 25th with a very full agenda. We look forward to continued joint meetings which we consider to be of utmost importance if we are to impress upon INZ the need to listen and act upon our concerns. Items raised and discussed included the lower numbers of asylum seekers arriving in New Zealand, work permits, resettlement and family reunification. Meetings and Workshops on some of these topics took place later in the year.

In November we and other refugee groups met with the UNHCR Australasian representative Mr. Rick Towle. These meetings are valuable in order for UNHCR to be in touch with the particularly areas concerning refugees themselves in this country. Mr. Towle suggested that while anecdotal information alerts him to the current concerns, in order to provide solutions, it would be helpful to have a properly researched report. This presented problems of funding as authentic independent research can be costly.

Another notable meeting was with the UNHCR Commissioner Mr. Antonio Guterres in February. Mr. Guterres impressed us all with his genuine heart for refugees.

In July a number of our Committee members visited the Airport on a guided tour by an Immigration Staff member. The group were pleased to see an improvement in conditions for refugees being held to determine their situation. However, we are still keen to see an involvement by ARCI in the airport process with possibly member/members of our committee making themselves available to talk to a refugee claimant arriving at the airport and needing support.

For those who have followed the work of the Auckland Refugee Council (ARCI) you will be aware of the number of submissions and reports we have made not only to highlight the situations of asylum seekers but to present, we believe, viable options for improvement. We were therefore pleased take part in a Workshop organised by INZ with input from ARCI, on Asylum Seeker Settlement issues. This took place recently on August 12th and the workshop outcomes will be put into a report which we hope can be presented to the Minister.

The Auckland Refugee Council began this year with high hopes of expansion in the field of refugee accommodation as well as continuing our very important advocacy work. However, the general downturn in world finances has seriously affected our forward planning in this respect.

The Good Shepherd Sisters have agreed to fund us one more time. This funding is directed at those who have no work permit – both at our hostel and others. The loss of their support will be greatly missed, but we are very grateful for the financial assistance they have given us over the past four years. Without them we would not have been able to house those refugee claimants without work permits.

Lottery Grants Board also supported us but to a much less degree than formerly. We are still awaiting a response from ASB Trust who have been so generous in the past but who have unfortunately fallen foul of the economic situation. Our efforts in securing additional funding from the Lion Foundation, Auckland City and JR McKenzie unfortunately came to naught as so many groups are trying to stay afloat. ARCI have set aside a portion of our funding which we hoped could be used to expand our accommodation. Unfortunately funders see it as additional finance that others groups do not have. At a recent Executive Committee Meeting our Treasurer elect presented a paper on Investment Policy. This paper was accepted and we hope its implementation will allow funders to see our objectives more clearly.

Funding received for 2009/10 at this date:

Lottery Grants Board           $23,600

Good Shepherd Sisters     $11,000

Our hostel in Avondale continues to be full. However, a number of our residents there have been with us for well over a year and some two years. There are cases which are complex and the decision making process can be lengthy. Some failed refugees come from countries, where they cannot possibly be returned, such is the danger they would face – places such as Somalia and Zimbabwe are on the UNHCR advisory list. For such cases the tragedy is that there may be a well founded humanitarian reason to remain in New Zealand as a resident. However, if a permit of any kind has never been issued they are unable to apply to the Removal Appeal Authority to resolve their status and they remain in limbo.

In contrast to the tragic circumstances of some, other hostel residents have gained refugee status at the first hearing with the Refugee Status Branch and are able to bring family to New Zealand and claim the Resettlement Grant, eligibility for which is based upon gaining refugee status within a year of arriving in New Zealand. Due to this criteria other claimants whose RSB cases have taken a long time to decide or who have failed at RSB but gained refugee status at the Refugee Status Appeals Authority are not eligible for the Resettlement Grant We believe this is yet another anomaly in the way asylum seekers are treated.

With more of our residents gaining refugee status ARCI finds itself increasingly involved in the resettlement process. Convention Refugees are in need of a support person who knows the system. All too often we encounter staff of a government department who are unaware of the policies relating to refugees and who are often unwilling to provide the support to which our residents are entitled.

A Convention Refugee is eligible to bring spouse and children to New Zealand. However, raising the required funding – often between $15,000 to $20,000 depending on the size of the family can be a difficulty that seems impossible to overcome. Recently help has been received from a Christian Church in raising funds and a branch of the International organisation for Migration (IOM) in Canberra Australia has been approached for a loan. IOM also facilitates the departure of the family from the country which is extremely helpful in places where acquiring the necessary documents can be difficult. However, IOM will only form a contract with a body who can act as a guarantor for the refugee – in this case the Auckland Refugee Council Inc.

The Auckland Refugee Coalition are looking at forming a Charitable Trust similar to that operating in Wellington, where donations can be made to bring extended members of refugee families to New Zealand under the INZ “Refugee Family Support Category”. It is hoped the Auckland Trust will also support asylum seekers bringing immediate family to New Zealand the cost of which for most refugees is prohibitive.

At our Planning Meeting last year a number of initiatives were proposed, one of which was to employ a person to assist at the hostel. In August last year we employed Mr. Burhan Rashid who has now been with ARCI for one year. He works for 10 hours a week and as a refugee himself has a special understanding with our clients.

Our plan to gather stories has had limited success. In these days of possible refugee status cancellation no one is very keen to raise their head above the bar for scrutiny – such is the fear of malicious or mischievous denouncements to INZ.

Our other proposed initiative was to work with RCNZ and the Auckland Refugee Coalition to bring added pressure to bear on improving conditions for asylum seekers. The outcome, as previously mentioned was a joint meeting with INZ on 25th March.

As mentioned, due to the economic climate we have been unable to expand our accommodation as we had hoped. However, the Executive Committee hope to purchase a property at some stage which it is felt will give the Auckland Refugee Council more security and enable us to work more effectively.

Despite these setbacks Housing New Zealand continue to assist us with rent support for our hostel – without which we possibly could not have survived - and who are currently making improvements and renovations. We have also received support from a local Lions Club who built a fence and gate around a part of the grounds to provide more security for the young children. Our thanks go especially to Mr. R. Findlay who provided his work free of charge.

Thanks also once again to all our volunteers, too numerous to mention. A special thanks to Helen Walsh who has completed a third year of teaching English to hostel residents and to a few who have left but return for the valuable English lessons. Thanks to local church members who have given outstanding support to particular refugees at the hostel. Another special vote of thanks should go to two volunteers from the USA who have befriended hostel residents, arranged outings and made their van available for numerous furniture removals. Words cannot easily express the difference you have made to so many lives. A vote of thanks should also go to the refugee communities who provide interpreting expertise, friendship and support to our residents and include them in their social and cultural activities. Last but not least a thank you to our Executive Committee Members whose attendance at the bi-monthly committee meetings is very much appreciated as is the attendance of some members at special immigration meetings held during the year. A special thanks too for the extra support some members have given me during times of particular stress. Our Committee is a special group of people dedicated to the support of asylum seekers.

It would be easy to focus on the economic difficulties we face and become discouraged. However, when I look back over the year I see steady progress. We have highlighted a number of issues which at last are being taken seriously by New Zealand Immigration.

In keeping with our Constitution we are spreading the word about asylum seekers. Our work at our refugee hostel has been significant in this regard with the needs of the refugees spreading to the community through churches and volunteers increasing slowly and surely.

We have seen hard economic times before and with our reputation going before us I am confident we shall overcome.

Elizabeth Walker
Executive officer
Auckland Refugee Council (Inc)

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