There are renewed calls for the New Zealand Government to double the refugee quota. Photo / Getty Images

Calls for more walk, less talk on doubling refugee quota

Author: Michael Sergel, Alicia Burrow,
Publish Date: Thu, 22 Sept 2016, 6:11am

Human rights lawyers say the Government should doubling the refugee quota, to walk its UN talk in New York.

Prime Minister John Key has chaired a UN Security Council meeting overnight, in which the Syria conflict and migrant crisis has been top of the agenda.

He's also attended a refugee summit, where US President Barack Obama has called for first world countries to take refugees.

Human Rights Lawyers' Association executive board member Rebecca McAllum said the Government should consider increasing the quota to be in line with Australia.

"Australia takes three times as many refugees per capita than New Zealand so I think we consider the quota to be doubled."

Ms McAllum said the Government should seriously consider taking more refugees - and that includes refugees facing appalling conditions in offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island.

"We really can't get into comparing whose lives are better. Those who are at home or those who are far away. A refugee is a refugee. It's somebody who has a well-founded fear of persecution."