Four Former Prime Ministers Join Forces for Refugees
Auckland, Monday 31 July 2017 – In a rare display of political unanimity four former Prime Ministers of New Zealand are calling politicians from all
parties to welcome 500 more refugees immediately. The call comes in supporting of the ‘Welcome #500Now’ campaign, which launched this month.
“There are no rational arguments against us being more generous: none at all,” says Jim Bolger, New Zealand’s 35th Prime
Minister. “We can do it. We can afford it. And we can offer that hand of welcome and friendship.”
Bolger has been joined by Helen Clark, former head of the United Nations Development Programme; legal scholar, Sir
Geoffrey Palmer; and former World Trade Organisation Director-General and US Ambassador, Mike Moore. They all support
the initiative based on their experience as Prime Minister and the broader international perspectives they have embraced
after leaving office.
Tracey Barnett, founder of the ‘Welcome #500 Now’ campaign, describes the initiative as an opportunity to rise above party politics. The campaign calls on each candidate
in this year’s election to publicly declare they will agree to welcome 500 refugees immediately, if they are elected.
“The campaign emphasises immediacy and urgency because it’s too easy to do otherwise,” she says. “Unless they promise to
do something now politicians can procrastinate, defer, discuss, delay and generally kick the can down the road for
several years until the quota is reviewed. Desperate people can’t afford that luxury.
“When four former Prime Ministers from different parties and different eras come together and speak with one voice about
an issue, we should all listen. They are asking people to put party politics aside and recognise a larger humanitarian
imperative.”
The call comes at a time when the number of refugees is growing at a greater rate than ever before, and when New
Zealand’s response seems markedly inadequate. We rank 95th in the world in terms of refugees and asylum seekers hosted
per capita and 122nd relative to our GDP.
Addressing the disparity, Mike Moore, doesn’t mince his words: “Shame on us. We basically think we’re better than we
are. But we’re not.”
To show support for the campaign, follow these simple steps:
1. Write #500Now on your palm
2. Hold out your hand and take a photo. Include your friends, colleagues, family, workmates or teammates.
3. Post it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram with the hashtag #500Now
4. Then email it to the Prime Minister, party leaders and your MP and ask, ‘Will you commit to welcoming 500 refugees
immediately, if elected.?’
About #500Now
#500now is a new initiative aimed at asking candidates across all parties at this year’s election to commit to taking 500 more
refugees now. These efforts will focus on raising New Zealand’s refugee intake immediately, while highlighting how
significantly refugees enrich New Zealand.
Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wagepeacenz, or visit our website: https://wagepeacenz.org/500now/
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