The Green Party is calling for urgent government action to ensure safe staffing levels in aged residential care facilities, as a new report today shows a strained workforce is under increasing pressure.

The Green Party is calling on the Government to scrap the Acceptable Standards of Health policy that discriminates against disabled migrants after former Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni acknowledged the policy “disadvantages” disabled migrants on TVNZ’s Q&A this morning.  

Migrant nurses, aged-care and support workers need fair pay as well as equitable pathways to residency, not half-baked measures from National.

The long overdue resumption of the Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota must be followed by an overhaul of the Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) scheme, says the Green Party.

The Greens welcome the Productivity Commission’s report into our immigration settings, reiterating the need to decouple work visas from single employers.

The Greens are calling for the Government to reconsider the immigration reset so that it better reflects our relationship with our Pacific neighbours.

Proposed immigration changes by the Government fail to guarantee pathways to residency to workers in the types of jobs deemed essential throughout the pandemic, by prioritising high income earners - instead of focusing on the wellbeing of workers and enabling migrants to put down roots.

An independent review of New Zealand’s detention regime for asylum seekers has found arbitrary and abusive practices in Aotearoa’s immigration law, policy, and practice.

After weeks of advocacy by Green MPs, Immigration New Zealand has given assurances that West Papuan students whose scholarships were cancelled by the Indonesian Government will not be deported - and that a team will now be formed to assess the future needs of the students.

“The Green Party has been advocating consistently for pathways for family reunification and visa waiver status and we welcome today’s announcement on the 2022 Special Ukraine Policy,” says Ricardo Menéndez March, Green Party spokesperson for immigration.