Roundup: Refugee response draws fire on New Zealand's int'l obligations

The New Zealand government on Monday raised its much criticized refugee quota from 750 to 1,000 a year, a rise that was immediately branded "miserable."

The rise - to take effect from 2018 - was "appropriate" and demonstrated the government's commitment to meet the needs of some of the world's most vulnerable people, Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said in a statement.

"New Zealand has a strong record in the resettlement of refugees. Last year we committed to resettling 500 Syrians over two years on top of our annual quota of 750. This means for the next two years we are taking 1,000 refugees," said Woodhouse.

"We want to ensure the refugees we take settle well and contribute meaningfully to life in New Zealand, while not putting unreasonable strains on social services," he said.

"We want to be sure people have the appropriate support and services they need to resettle in New Zealand like housing, health, education and translation services."

The annual refugee quota was just one part of New Zealand's total refugee and humanitarian program, which also included 300 places available each year for family reunification and the acceptance of an additional 125 to 175 asylum seekers.

The government came under international pressure to double its quota at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis last year, but insisted on sticking to its three-decade-old annual quota of 750 refugees, before it yielded in September and agreed to take extra Syrian refugees over the next two years.

On Monday, critics said New Zealand - currently sitting on the UN Security Council - was still failing in its obligations to the international community.

Leader of the main opposition Labour Party Andrew Little branded the increase "miserable," adding in a statement, "It is a sad day when the government can't find the basic humanity to double the quota when it hasn't increased for 29 years.

"New Zealanders are a big-hearted, generous people who would happily double the quota. It is right that we do our bit on the world stage," Little said in a statement.

The Doing Our Bit group, which is campaigning to double the refugee quota, pointed out that neighboring Australia had been criticized for "terrible asylum seeker policies," but actually accepted more than three times more refugees per capita than New Zealand.

The government had failed to respond to the greatest humanitarian crisis of the century, Doing Our Bit spokesperson Murdoch Stephens said in a statement.

"Instead of offering to be part of the world community and give protection to refugees, they've stepped down from the challenge," said Stephens. Endit