Talk on refugee crisis aims to educate locals

Murdoch Stephens (left), founder of the Doing Our Bit Campaign on the nationwide Pledge tour. Photo / Supplied

A nationwide tour discussing the world's refugee crisis and New Zealand's own refugee quota is coming to Rotorua.

The Doing Our Bit "Refugees welcome - refugees and the election" talk will take place at St Luke's Anglican Church on Thursday.

Murdoch Stephens, founder of the Doing Our Bit campaign, said he would be speaking about the international refugee situation, New Zealand's policies, including the new community sponsorship model and how local communities could get involved.

The pilot community sponsorship model would allow the resettlement of 250 refugees additional to the current quota. New Zealand's quota has been changed from 750 to 1000, to be fully implemented by 2018.

Mr Stephens, who had spent time living in Syria, said there was a similar programme in Canada for settling Syrians through private and individual sponsorship.

The Doing Our Bit campaign is asking to double the refugee quota and double the funding for support services so they are resourced to help new refugees.

"It's not a radical ask, it's in the mainstream. Most New Zealanders see how perfectly small 750 people is, we could easily get to 1500," Mr Stephens said.

He said there was lots of potential if the Government wanted to look at how it could be done.

"I believe that if a conscience vote was to take place it would be passed."

Members from the Green Party, Labour Party, United Future and The Opportunities Party had signed the pledge to double the quota, he said.

There had also been support from people such as former Prime Minister Jim Bolger.

Alexis LewGor, treasurer for the Rotorua Multicultural Council, will MC the evening and speak from a local perspective.

She said it was a good time for an important community conversation about refugees.

"He's [Mr Stephens] doing it the right way and talking to communities to see what they actually think.

"I see what's happening around the country and the ones who have come in, their settling in process and the stories they bring with them, they are not adding to the issues of immigration, they actually need to be let in to the country.

"It's all to do with giving them a chance for a better life but everything around them is totally new and they need some support.

"This is why we are engaging communities and want their views about refugees," she said.

Talking to the Rotorua Daily Post Mr Stephens said the tour had been "wonderful" so far.

"We've had good turnouts, particularly in a couple of the smaller places such as 50 people in Timaru."

He said Rotorua was part of the nationwide tour because it had been one of nine cites considered as a refugee settlement location by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

"People should head along if they are curious about happening with the refugee crisis or from a humanitarian stance. We're asking support from people to look at the current situation, and if they want to get involved and advocate . . . put pressure on government and local council and ask them to sign the pledge."

Doing Our Bit campaign - Refugees Welcome talk
- What: Talk about the refugee crisis
- When: 6pm to 8pm
- Where: St Luke's Anglican Church
To find out more about the campaign visit www.doingourbit.co.nz/.