Indonesian overstayers found living in a plywood shed and dilapidated caravan at New Windsor, Auckland property

Indonesian overstayer Hendra Adijaya has been living in a shed he made using plywood at the backyard of a property in New Windsor. Photo / Dean Purcell

Overstaying migrants have been found in a backyard shanty town in West Auckland, living for as long as four years in makeshift sheds and a dilapidated caravan.

It is the latest in a shocking list of cases of foreign workers living in inhumane conditions in New Zealand, with multiple investigations already under way into the exploitation of migrants who came into the country under the Accredited Employer Work Visas scheme.

And while the Labour Party announced over the weekend it would offer a lifeline for long-term overstayers in New Zealand, the Indonesian tenants in the rundown shacks at a New Windsor property would not qualify because they had not been in the country long enough.

Auckland Council, which said it was not aware of the overstayers’ living situation until the Herald’s query, have made arrangements to visit the property and commence an investigation.

Hendra Adijaya, 49, said he had been living in a plywood shed at the property for the last three and a half years.

He built the structure using discarded materials he got from a construction site he worked at a few years ago.

Overstayer Hendra Adijaya turns part of his plywood shed into a kitchen. Photo / Dean Purcell

Adijaya, from Indonesia, said between three and six overstayers lived on the Bollard Avenue property in New Windsor at any given time.

Another tenant had used a chicken coop in the garden for shelter, and another man had lived in a caravan parked in front of the property.

Auckland Council says it doesn't believe the structures are safe or sanitary. Photo / Dean Purcell

The men paid between $120 and $150 per week to a woman in her 70s. The woman lived in the main house, and he referred to her as the landlady.

The woman would not give her name when approached by the Herald and initially denied anyone else was living on the property other than her husband.

Speaking in Mandarin, she admitted to having “two or three boarders” after she was shown photographs of Adijaya in the shed in her backyard.

The house belonged to her son and she was collecting the money on his behalf and was not involved in facilitating any of the tenancy arrangements, she said.

Auckland Council compliance manager Adrian Wilson said the council was not aware of the existence of the makeshift accommodation or its current use.

“Arrangements have been made to visit the property and make further enquiries,” he told the Herald. If needed, the council would seek assistance from other agencies in relation to the status of those living in the buildings and any alternative accommodation that may be required.

“Based on the information provided, it is unlikely such structures would be safe or sanitary under the Building Act.”

This dilapidated caravan is home to another overstayer. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Migrant Exploitation Relief Foundation (Merf) filed a complaint to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) in January on the plight of Indonesian workers - including those at the New Windsor property - and alleged they had been exploited by a construction company that hired them.

An old chicken coop is sometimes used as shelter for overstayers. Photo / Dean Purcell

It is calling for INZ to investigate the complaint and said it could assist with finding alternative employment for the migrants if they could be made lawful.

An INZ spokeswoman said the agency was aware of the report but could not comment without a privacy waiver.

Migrant worker Hendra Adijaya keeps in touch with his daughter, whom he has not seen for four years. Photo / Dean Purcell

She noted that unlike the recent cases of exploited migrants who arrived under the Accredited Employers Work Visa, these Indonesian migrants would not be able to access the protection visa or seek support.

“It is important to note that migrant exploitation protection visas are only available to migrants who are lawfully in New Zealand.”

Adijaya hails from West Java and said he has been an overstayer for more than three years.

He came to New Zealand on a visitor visa and believed this was where he could have a better life for himself and his family.

A third Indonesian overstayer was found living in a back room of the property. Photo / Dean Purcell

“I come from a village in Jawa Barat, and it’s really hard to find any job or make money there to feed my family,” Adijaya said in Bahasa Indonesia.

Adijaya’s wife is a street food vendor in his home country and they have a 6-year-old daughter.

Migrant worker Hendra Adijaya having tea at his plywood home. Photo / Dean Purcell

Describing himself as a carpenter, Adijaya said he worked on cash jobs for a construction company on sites in Avondale and near Auckland Airport.

Exploitation was common problem, he said. Sometimes he was not paid but could not make a complaint as he was here unlawfully.

Entrance to the Bollard Avenue in New Windsor where Indonesian overtsayers are being housed. Photo / Dean Purcell

“Without a visa, life is very hard... I can’t do anything, everything is in secret and I don’t even have a bank account or any official New Zealand document,” he said.

“What keeps me going is hope, and I pray every day that one day I can be legal and be reunited with my family here.”

Adijaya said his plywood shed is not insulated and “[it] feels like living in the Antarctic” on cold nights, and when it rains heavily, the roof leaks.

“I cannot fall sick, because I am not enrolled with any clinic or doctor and cannot seek professional medical help.”

In the common area of the property where overstayers live. Photo / Dean Purcell

He installed his own plumbing, ate simple meals, and used a small fan heater and blankets to keep warm.

A pair of jandals outside the back room of the house. Photo / Dean Purcell

On the construction sites where he worked, Adijaya said there were about 15 to 20 other Indonesians and Chinese nationals working, mostly also overstayers.

The Merf complaint to INZ alleged the exploitation of at least one overstayer and the employment of “numerous other unlawful migrants” who worked on sites run by the Auckland construction company.

Merf said the company employing the overstayers had “deliberately breached several New Zealand laws” in employing illegal migrants and failing to pay them proper wages.

Washing hung out to dry at the Bollard Avenue property. Photo / Dean Purcell

Investigators for the report said the dilapidated caravan and “poorly built, uninsulated and leaky” shed appeared “unfit to be used as lawful accommodation”.

The report claimed a 48-year-old Indonesian overstayer lived in the caravan and paid $125 per week to live there.

A third overstayer was also located in a room at the back of the house.

“The owner of the property, an elderly Chinese woman, initially denied that there were any Indonesians living [at] the address before stating that only one lived in the caravan outside,” the report said.

On Saturday, Labour announced a “regularisation policy”, which is effectively amnesty for long-term overstayers.

Immigration Minister Andrew Little said the policy was about making good on the Dawn Raids apology.

“These people are part of New Zealand. In some cases, they have been here for decades. They have family here, jobs and [attend] church,” Little said.

However, these Indonesians would not qualify as they have been here only between three and five years.

National leader Christopher Luxon rejected any amnesty for overstayers, saying “you can’t reward illegal immigration to New Zealand”.

“We have to respect people who are being fair and proper and playing by the rules,” Luxon said.

“And we don’t disrespect them by actually having an amnesty for those that aren’t choosing to do that.”