Podcasts about refugees and migrants

It's Independence Day in the Philippines and Becky Buada, from Banyuhay Aotearoa, explains how Filipino migrants celebrate it in New Zealand.

Migrant communities are hailing a new visa which will allow parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to visit multiple times over a five-year period. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.

Government briefings show some New Zealanders have adopted more than 10 children each from overseas. Immigration reporter Gill Bonnett spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The government's opening the doors for parents of migrants to come to the country for up to 10 years. David Barker spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Imagine growing up in New Zealand your whole life only to find at 18 that you have no right to work, study or even remain here. That's the reality facing a rising number of undocumented young people who were born after 2006's citizenship law change. Concerns are now mounting within ethnic communities as more children of overstayers emerge, with community leaders warning the teenagers may be the visible edge of a much deeper problem. RNZ Asia's Blessen Tom reports.

A recording of a speed briefing held on Tuesday, 11 March 2025, to learn more about how misinformation works and what to do about it. For those who want a truthful discussion, yet may sometimes struggle to respond to false claims, a new report is designed to help you know what to do and when: Countering misinformation about refugees and migrants: An evidence-based framework, find it here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/kaldor-centre/our-resources/legal-and-policy-resources/countering-misinformation With an easy-to-follow decision tree and how-to examples, this report can equip you to respond across a range of situations— and lays the groundwork for you to create responses aligned with your own aims. Co-authors Professor Daniel Ghezelbash (UNSW Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law) and Saul Wodak (Behavioural Insights Team) step through the framework, empowering you to create stronger, fact-based conversations.

Moving to a new country can be challenging at the best of times but imagine coming to a new home as a refugee.

Orchards are buzzing around the country with the last of the stonefruit picked and packed, and the wine grape harvest beginning. Monique Steele has the detail.

Governments and funders can help by investing in workforce development programs. Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/ 

Refugees have turned out in force for a police recruitment drive. Finn Blackwell has more.

The Migrant Exploitation Visa was launched in 2021 to help people leave bad work situations quickly, and gave them the right to work somewhere else for six months and extend at the end of that period. Anu Kaloti from the Migrant Workers Association spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Israeli military has warned 27 villages in Southern Lebanon to evacuate. The warnings come as Israel launches what it says is "a limited ground operation" and "localized raids" in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. Correspondent Henri Bou Saab spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

More than 550 migrants, advocates or others laid complaints against employers last month, which is more than double the average number this year. Migrant Exploitation Relief Foundation's Cameron Bower spoke to Cameron Bower.

Australia correspondent Peter Ryan speaks to Lisa Owen about a call from leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton, for a temporary ban on accepting Palestinian refugees fleeing Israel's war in Gaza. The pressure has been described as inhumane and heartless.

A ceasefire deal over Gaza has been on the table since June. So why are Israel and Hamas still at war?

Two workers at the centre of migrant exploitation claims against a Green MP don't care whether or not she's forced out of Parliament. They just want the money they say they're owed from Darleen Tana, who has resigned from the Greens, but is still an MP on the public payroll. Soumya Bhamidipati reports.

A public law expert says it's likely going to be up to Darleen Tana to decide whether to quit parliament, now she's no longer a Green Party member. Ms Tana has resigned from the party following the release of a report on allegations of migrant exploitation at her husband's business, but remains an independent MP. She rejects the reports findings. University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis spoke with Corin Dann.

Almost 100 asylum seekers are again being held in Australia's offshore processing centre in Nauru after numbers dropped to zero in June last year. New Zealand agreed to resettle 450 refugees on Nauru in 2022 until the middle of 2025 but the government says this latest cohort is ineligible. RNZ Pacific's Caleb Fotheringham has more.

Shirking our fair share - why hasn't New Zealand upped its game when it comes to welcoming refugees?

The family of an Auckland couple ordered to leave New Zealand for overstaying their visas are in turmoil this morning. Loasi Latu and her husband have lived in New Zealand for decades, but have overstayed their visas by more than 20 years. They were told they needed to leave the country by last Friday but did not, believing a ministerial intervention was possible. But Associate Immigration Minister Chris Penk says he won't intervene, and he has asked Immigration officials to make contact with the family today to clarify what happens next. Mr Penk declined to be interviewed by Morning Report, but in a statement he said: “I acknowledge this is a difficult situation for Loasi Latu, her husband, and their family. However, for privacy reasons I cannot comment on specific details related to individual cases. "Immigration matters such as these are complex and involve balancing a range of factors. Many people every year are declined immigration status in New Zealand and while it is disappointing for the individuals concerned, to protect the integrity of our immigration system, it's important that we have a consistent and robust process for evaluating applications.  "A voluntary departure does not preclude people returning to New Zealand if they are able to obtain the necessary visa, but this will depend on the individual's circumstances. This is now an operational matter for Immigration New Zealand.” In a statement, the Latu family said it is still waiting to hear from the Minister. "The Associate Immigration Minister, Chris Penk, hasn't come forward to speak to us yet," the statement said.  "We already feel that New Zealand is behind us. Even the Prime Minister said in his Monday press conference that our situation is heartbreaking.  "It would be very hurtful if Mr Penk's commentary is in fact true, and he has reduced the seriousness of our case to an 'operational issue.' "Even more heartbreaking would be that they have told media before telling our family." The Green Party has thrown its support behind the family, urging the Minister to intervene. Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March spoke to Corin Dann

From having to start afresh as a refugee in New Zealand to adjusting to a whole new life as a new amputee- Naeem Hashemi's life is a remarkable story of grit and faith. 

World Vision says New Zealand's spend on international food aid has fallen, contributing to global food ration cuts hitting the most vulnerable.

Twenty-five years ago when the Kosovo war ended, nearly 800,000 Kosavar Albanians were left displaced. Some went to Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and a small number arrived in New Zealand as refugees. 

What's it like for a new refugee to arrive in New Zealand, get resettled and start a new life here? This month we are marking World Refugee Day with 3-part series on stories on refugee resettlement in New Zealand. 

Government briefings show the immigration minister asked for an estimate of Palestinians who might apply to join their families in New Zealand if the Government opened a Ukraine-style visa category. Gill Bonnett reports.

Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman and panellists Deborah Hart & Simon Pound discuss how Te Tiriti is bringing us closer together as a nation, why so many New Zealanders are moving overseas and Hamilton's new not-for-profit power supplier. Deborah Hart is chair of the Consumer Advocacy Council, chair of the Holocaust Centre of NZ and member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal. Simon Pound is Brand strategist & partner at Previously Unavailable, Co-founder of fashion label Ingrid Starnes, and podcaster for Business is Boring.

The country's record net migration of 139,000 new arrivals in the last year has raised concerns about the potential impact on consumer demand and the flow-on to inflation.

The beautiful game became an expression for solidarity through World of Cultures' Football Fest this month bringing players together from several diaspora communities in Auckland. Kadambari Raghukumar spoke to some about their memories of Gaza. 

Palestinians in New Zealand want the government to give emergency humanitarian visas to their family members, just like they did for people fleeing Russia's war in Ukraine. About 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the 7th of October; three-quarters of its homes and infrastructure obliterated; and now, its residents are starving, with Israel preventing the free flow of life-saving humanitarian aid. The office of the Minister for Immigration, Erica Stanford, says "the issue in Gaza is primarily a humanitarian and border issue, not a visa issue, as people are unable to leave. "People who have relatives in Gaza can already apply for temporary or visitor visas for them." World Vision New Zealand's Kirsty Jones spoke to Corin Dann.

Palestinians in New Zealand want the government to give emergency humanitarian visas to their family members, just like they did for people fleeing Russia's war in Ukraine. The office of the Minister for Immigration, Erica Stanford, says "the issue in Gaza is primarily a humanitarian and border issue, not a visa issue, as people are unable to leave. Palestinian New Zealander Muhammad Dahlen's family are trapped in Gaza Dahlen spoke to Corin Dann.

After months of conflict in Gaza, UN figures show close to 2 million people have been displaced and are facing starvation as Israel continues its military attacks. Some manage to leave, but they must pay thousands of dollars to cross the border, and even then, freedom isn't guaranteed. First Up producer Mahvash Ikram met a New Zealand born woman who managed to get out of Gaza after living there for twenty years.

During 5 months of war, the children of Gaza have suffered relentless mental harm and in some cases complete psychological destruction according to Save the Children. Israel has been bombarding the Palestinian territory since Hamas attacked Israel in October, killing about 1200 people and taking more than 200 others hostage. The UN said currently pregnant women and new mothers in Gaza are struggling to keep themselves and their babies alive, amid a critical shortage of food water and medical care. There are also fears of a full blown famine. It's estimated 8000 patients including 6000 trauma patients need to be medically evacuated from the territory . Jacqui Southey from Save the Children speaks to Lisa Owen.

Immigration New Zealand has been criticised for ignoring concerns that its work visa scheme was allowing migrants to buy jobs and be exploited. The Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme was brought in after Covid-19 border closures led to a worker shortage. Since then, there have been countless stories about migrants being brought into the country, to find their jobs don't exist, and being forced to live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Now commentators say the policy needs to be fixed further or completely scrapped. Krystal Gibbens reports.

Immigration New Zealand could have done more to minimise abuse of the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme. That admission from the country's top public servant in the wake of a critical independent review of the programme. Post COVID-19, the scheme made it easier for accredited employers to bring migrant workers into the country once the business was deemed a good employer and valid business. However, the Immigration Minister at the time, Andrew Little, was forced to launch a review after a whistle-blower alleged employer checks weren't being done. The review released today has found immigration bosses ignored staff concerns about the scheme. For a year, there was an increased risk of exploitation by unscrupulous agents and employers. 145 employers have now had their accreditation revoked and 53 have had their accreditation suspended. 174 active investigations on Accredited Employers underway. May Moncur, an employment law advocate speaks to Lisa Owen.

Smartphones, food-only debit cards, biometric data checks at border crossings, these are some of the ways refugees and migrants interact with technology in their daily lives both in the region and the diaspora. This episode unpacks the benefits, ambivalences and concerns surrounding these technologies. Our guests, Dr Reem Talhouk and Dr Yener Bayramoğlu discuss refugee-centered design technologies for humanitarian aid as well as smartphone usage amongst refugees and migrants and how it has given them control over their own lives and narratives as they cross borders. Reem Talhouk is an Assistant Professor in Design and Global Develpment at Northumbria University where she co-leads the Design Feminisms Research Group. Reem also leads the Global Development Futures Hub. Her work sits within design, and human and computer interaction. Reem works with communities considered to be ‘on the margins' to design technologies and counter-narratives with a focus on humanitarianism, activism and social movements. Yener Bayramoglu is Assistant Professor in Digital Media at York University. His current research explores the role of digital media in everyday practices of belonging. Yener is particularly interested in the ambivalent meaning and function of digital media for social groups whose lives are marginalised and shaped by intersectional inequalities. Yener has previously explored how digital media technologies turn into self-empowering tools for migrants, refugees and LGBTIQ+ people.

Conflict and coverage - why some conflicts dominate headlines for months, then suddenly get ignored    

 Bread Charity was founded in 2017 by then 22-year-old Mustafa 'Mussie' Sheikh, who has just published a kids' book called 'The Boy Who Wasn't Scared To Dream'.

A group of exploited migrant workers have been told they must vacate emergency housing by ten o'clock Friday morning. The men - many of whom paid thousands of dollars to come to New Zealand for work that didn't eventuate - were initially living in overcrowded South Auckland properties. They were provided temporary accommodation by the government - until they were given less than a week's notice to get out. Anu Kaloti from the Migrant Workers Association spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Refugee advocate says Nauru's new president is the 'preferred choice'.

Refugee and human rights lawyer Deborah Manning was 27 years old when she took on the state as co-counsel for Ahmed Zaoui, a former Algerian MP who came to New Zealand as a refugee in 2003. After four-and-half long years and three successful court appeals, Zaoui was allowed to stay in New Zealand. This case was highly publicised and polarising, and an intense journey for Deborah. Today she looks back at the things that helped her get through.

The only chance 18-year-old Afghan refugee Arezo Nazari has of bringing her parents to New Zealand is through the government – and so far, three ministers have turned her down. 

Migrants scammed out of thousands of dollars for the promise of work in New Zealand have been offered a glimmer of hope. The group of 146 migrants from India and Bangladesh have been living in overcrowded houses in Auckland with no work for months. A full-day job matching event took place in South Auckland on Wednesday, organised by the Ministry for Social Development. Our reporter Lucy Xia was there.

A political spat has broken out over the Government's proposal to extend the period of time asylum seekers can be detained. National and the Greens both oppose the mass arrivals bill - that will increase the detention period without a warrant from four to 28 days. They say it's unnecessary - even wrong - while the Immigration Minister is accusing them of being "wilfully blind" to the security risks. Our political reporter Anneke Smith has more.

As parts of southern Europe and the US swelter in record summer temperatures, Gaia Vince anticipates mass migration to cooler countries, forced by global warming. Her book, Nomad Century: How to survive a climate upheaval describes the displacement of billions of people from the world's hottest latitudes. From The Sudan to the western US, and in cities from the UK to China, drought, heat, wildfires and flooding will make home uninhabitable. It's not all doom and gloom. Vince remains optimistic migration also brings benefits, both to migrants and their new countries, including solving labour shortages.

UN chief says guardrails needed for AI to ‘benefit everyone'Myanmar atrocities and impunity must end: TürkSudan: close to three million displaced

It started as an opportunity to learn English and now it's a weekly gathering involving not just words but a thread and needle too. Every Thursday a group of women, some of them refugees, meet to practice their English and sew together in east Auckland. Reporter Louise Ternouth and camera operator Nick Monro have the story.  

More resources are urgently needed for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to meet the needs of thousands of refugees and internally displaced, who are fleeing the bloody showdown between rival military factions in Sudan.That's according to Faith Kasina, Regional Spokesperson for UNHCR who is based in Nairobi. Ezzat El-Ferri of UN News's Arabic service began by asking her for the latest on the extent of internal displacement across the country so far.

Cyclone Freddy: Mozambique, Malawi brace for more rainHorn of Africa hunger emergency: ‘129,000 looking death in the eyes'300,000 flee ongoing violence in DR Congo in February alone

Afghanistan: Experts urge Taliban to end ‘harmful annihilation' of women's freedomsCholera vaccination campaign begins in quake-hit northwest SyriaUnited Kingdom: UN refugee agency concerned about new asylum bill

Russia responsible for ‘widespread death and destruction' in UkraineUN seeks $4.3 billion to help 17 million most vulnerable YemenisItaly shipwreck prompts call for safe, legal migration routes