Worry

This Wire Worry Week, we are focusing on reframing the refugee crisis.

We have been speaking about The EU and Italy, discrimination of Refugees in NZ, and decontexualising the term crisis.

This Month saw the government up it’s quota from 750 to 1000 refugees per year, in accordance with with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This week saw five families, 21 refugees in total welcomed to New Zealand as part of a Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Program. The group will spend two weeks at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement center, before being settled in communities with support from approved sponsors. Harry spoke with Manager at the Centre Qemajl Murati to find out a little bit more about the welcoming of Refugees to NZ.

After speaking with Qemajl, Harry wanted to find out more about the issues faced by refugees once they leave the center. One of the organisations that works to support asylum seekers and refugees is The Refugee Council of New Zealand (RCNZ) whose purpose is to provide advice, information and assistance, and promote a strategic response to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. Harry spoke with president of the Council Dr Arif Saeid to unpack some of the issues refugees in NZ are facing once resettled.

Our Wire Worry week is sex work. The Swedish model of sex work has been adopted by a number of countries including Ireland quite recently and has been criticised as being unsafe for sex workers. Lachlan spoke with Dame Catherine Healy about the Swedish model and its problems, and why decriminalisation is a better, safer, model.

This week, Laura Kvigstad chats to Dame Catherine Healy, national coordinator for New Zealand Prostitute collective about how we as a society can better serve those currently employed in this industry.