$1.9m paid to refugee panel

Members of the Refugee Status Appeals Authority received a total of $1.9 million to make 569 decisions during the past year.

The authority's annual report to Parliament shows eight of the 28 members received more than $100,000 for their work.

Auckland Queen's Counsel Rodger Haines was the highest paid, receiving nearly $184,000. Elizabeth Aitken was paid $151,916, David Plunkett $145,923, Dr Josephine Baddeley $118,645 and Andrew Molloy $113,822.

Of the 569 decisions made, 91 appellants were granted refugee status and 478 were declined.

Thai nationals accounted for 11.7 per cent of appeals, followed by India (11.4 per cent), Iran (10), Sri Lanka (6.1) and the Czech Republic (5.8).

Since its establishment in 1991, the authority has received 7947 appeals and made 5930 decisions, with 1380 appeals withdrawn.

Of the decisions made, 997 have been allowed and 4833 dismissed.

The authority had 625 undecided appeals at the start of this financial year.

- NZPA