Minister allays Amnesty International concerns on asylum seekers

Detention camps in New Zealand for people seeking asylum are not appropriate, not necessary and not contemplated, Immigration Minister Max Bradford says.

`Organisations such as Amnesty International need not fear that New Zealand will follow the Australian policy of detaining asylum seekers who don't have prior refugee status,' Mr Bradford said.

`Rather, what New Zealand needs to do is radically reduce the amount of time it takes to process refugee status applications and appeals. The process needs to be fair and fast for the benefit of everyone.

`In this respect we have common cause with Australia, as I discussed last week with the Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock.'

The surging numbers of people seeking asylum need to know within a few months of their arrival in New Zealand whether they stay or leave, Mr Bradford said.

Currently it can take up to six years to process applications and appeals from those declined asylum. During that time it costs taxpayers around $30,000 a year to support each asylum seeker.

Immigration Service figures show last year there were 1310 applications for refugee status, up from 347 in 1993. Those numbers are in addition to the 800 refugees sent to New Zealand each year by the United Nations.

`I want to see a process put in place which deals with refugee status applications much more quickly than at present. That would allow us to avoid the problems and expense which inevitably arise out of a long drawn out process.'

`I welcome Amnesty's support for shortening asylum application times.'

`New Zealand needs to send out clear signals to the rest of the world that it is not a soft touch for asylum seekers,' Mr Bradford said.

Like New Zealand, Australia is also considering ways of refining the appeal process for those declined asylum.