A rundown plywood shack in the backyard of a New Windsor property is being rented out to an overstayer. Photo / Dean Purcell
A rundown plywood shack in the backyard of a New Windsor property is being rented out to an overstayer. Photo / Dean Purcell
A new occupant has moved into a makeshift plywood shed described as “poorly built, uninsulated and leaky” in the backyard of a property in West Auckland.
A Herald investigation revealed last month up to six Indonesian overstayers were living in a backyard shanty town in New Windsor, living for as long as four years in makeshift sheds and a dilapidated caravan.
This was the latest in a list of cases of foreign migrant workers found living in inhumane conditions in Auckland.
While support and alternative accommodation has been given to exploited migrant workers who came on the Accredited Employers Visa scheme, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) said the overstayers would not qualify as they were here unlawfully.
Former tenant Hendra Adijaya said he built the structure using discarded plywood from a construction site. Photo / Dean Purcell
“Hendra got sick and decided to find somewhere else to live.”
Last month, the woman admitted to having “two or three boarders” living on the property after initially denying there was anyone else living there other than herself and her husband.
Dasuki Kamuri was living in this dilapidated caravan before he moved into the plywood shed. Photo / Dean Purcell
The woman said the house belonged to her son and she was collecting the money on his behalf, and she was not involved in facilitating any tenancy arrangements.
Kamuri is known to the Migrant Exploitation Relief Foundation (Merf), which filed a complaint to INZ in January about the plight of Indonesian overstayers.
It is alleged the Indonesians, including Kamuri and others living in the New Windsor property, had been exploited by a construction company that hired them.
According to the report, Kamuri was living in a dilapidated caravan when investigators visited the property.
Tenants said between three and six overstayers are being housed on the property. Photo / Dean Purcell
“Kamuri initially stated that he was on a work permit, but later stated that he had been unlawful in New Zealand ... having left the employment of a Spanish-flagged fishing vessel due to not being paid properly and the working conditions,” the complaint said.
Investigators described the property as having “a dilapidated caravan parked on the front lawn and a poorly built, uninsulated and leaky shed at the rear” and said “both structures appeared unfit to be used as lawful accommodation”.
Merf wants INZ to investigate its complaint, and said it could assist with finding alternative employment for the migrants if they could be made lawful.
It 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.
Exploited migrants are given support and visas to remain, but only if they are in the country lawfully. Photo / Alex Burton
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.
An INZ spokeswoman confirmed it was aware of the report, but could not comment without a privacy waiver from the overstayers.
Adijaya, the previous tenant, told the Herald last month he built the plywood shed using discarded materials he got from a construction site he worked at a few years ago.
Originally from West Java and unlawfully in New Zealand, he had been living in it for three and a half years prior to moving out.
He said between three and six overstayers were housed on the property. One had used a chicken coop in the garden for shelter, and another was living in a dilapidated caravan.
Adijaya said the men paid between $120 and $150 in rent, and described staying in the plywood shed as feeling like “living in the Antarctic” on cold nights.
Before the election, National Party leader Chris Luxon had rejected any amnesty for overstayers, saying “you can’t reward illegal immigration to New Zealand”.
INZ’s general manager for immigration compliance and investigation, Steve Watson, said in the other cases of exploited migrants who came on the AEWV scheme, all who were found living in overcrowded and unsanitary houses in six houses across Auckland suburbs have been relocated.
“The interim package of support put in place to assist these migrants covered accommodation in a motel, with this money paid directly to the accommodation provider,” Steve Watson said.
“The cost of this accommodation is met from Immigration New Zealand’s baseline funding through reprioritizing Crown funding from other initiatives.”
As of October 5, Watson said 112 of the affected migrants have been granted a migrant exploitation protection visa which has open work conditions.
“With the granting of these visas, these affected migrants are able to legally find other employment,” Watson said.
“As Migrant Exploitation Protection Visas are open work visas, Immigration New Zealand does not need to be notified when an MEPV holder starts a new job.”
However, the support and migrant exploitation protection visa were not available to those who were unlawful.
Auckland Council said it was not aware of the overstayers’ living situation until the Herald’s query, but has visited the property and commenced an investigation.
However, it was not able to make any further comments just yet as the matter was still under investigation.
Lincoln Tan specialises in covering stories around diversity and immigration. He’s been a journalist at the Herald since 2006.
