25 May 2020

NZ's Treatment of Asylum Seekers Worse Under Labour Govt

From First Up, 5:43 am on 25 May 2020

The treatment of Asylum Seekers in New Zealand has worsened under the Labour government and pleas for change are falling on deaf ears, that's according to Tim Maurice, Chief Executive of the Asylum Seekers Support Trust.

Mr Maurice told First Up the Department of Corrections refuses to disclose which of their prisoners are Asylum Seekers - preventing the trust from advocating for them.

He also said that amidst the Covid-19 crisis, many Asylum Seekers who are released are being refused the support they're entitled to from Work and Income due to wrong information given out by staff on its national helpline.

Cameraman Dan Cook and Presenter Indira Stewart visited an Auckland hostel to hear their stories.