Around 100 protesters gathered at Parliament today to push for an increase in New Zealand's annual intake of refugees. Photo / Nicholas Jones
Around 100 protesters gathered at Parliament today to push for an increase in New Zealand's annual intake of refugees. Photo / Nicholas Jones
Warning: This article contains images that readers may find distressing
The picture of a toddler lying dead on a Turkish beach was front of mind for many of about 100 protesters who gathered at Parliament today.
Prime Minister John Key's family history was also brought up, with one protester who took the microphone calling for the Prime Minister to "do unto others as we did to your mother".
Today's event was to push for an increase in New Zealand's annual intake of refugees, and was organized at short notice last night by Meghan Hughes, the wife of Green MP Gareth Hughes.
The widespread publication of photos of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, who drowned with his brother while trying to get to Kos, had touched many, Mr Hughes told the Herald.
"A picture paints a thousand words, and in this case it is telling a thousand stories around the thousands who are dying in the Mediterranean.
"As a parent, it is heart-breaking to see that image, and I think it resonates with Kiwis who hate to think that something like that is happening, and that we could be doing something about it."
Nureddin Abdurahman, 33, a university student, said his family had come to New Zealand from Ethiopia, and he knew people who had arrived as refugees, and had since thrived.
"I know what this danger means, and what war can cause."
Grieving Abdullah Kurdi, the father of the two Syrian refugees found washed up on the beach, arrives at a morgue. Photo / AP
Mr Abdurahman, who has children aged 3 and 5, said he was greatly affected by the photograph of Aylan Kurdi.
"Last night after I came from university I was looking at my boy laying down on the bed, comparing with that boy on the coast. What is the difference between that boy and my boy?"
Kat Grayston, 32, a lighting technician and Green Party member, said it was ridiculous that millions was being spent on the flag change process, and no money could be found to take more refugees.
New Zealand is in the UN's refugee programme and has a quota of 750 refugees a year with leeway to take 75 fewer or more.
A Turkish police officer carries the lifeless body of three-year-old refugee Aylan Kurdi. Photo / AP
In the past year 756 refugees came to New Zealand under the quota including 83 from Syria. Refugees are given permanent residence and spend their first six weeks at the Mangere refugee resettlement centre.
All parties within Parliament except for National believe the refugee quota should be increased, which would be the first increase in 30 years.
New Zealand is ranked 87th in the world for total refugee resettlement per capita.
Non-government organisations have also called on the Government to increase the quota or allow for an emergency refugee allocation, as happened with the Tampa refugees.
Mr Key has been firm on not increasing the quota, but yesterday softened his stance, and said the Government could move earlier than a regular review of the quota next year.
