Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast Kerre McIvor: Why don't we have a humanitarian MIQ policy?
Jul 14, 2021
06:08
If we can let in the Wiggles, even though they didn't fill in the paperwork, if we can suddenly find places in MIQ for hundreds of Kiwis who've been in New South Wales, surely to goodness we can find a place for the parents of Josh Storer.
Josh is in intensive care after undergoing two brain surgeries and his family, in a zoom call with his doctors, were told there were three options for Josh.
One, he could die. Two he could survive but with brain damage, and three he could recover almost back to his old self.
Josh has been living and working in New Zealand for the past three years - he works for a drainage company - and his family are in the UK.
The family, naturally, is desperate to be by his bedside. We all know the difference it makes having family with you when you're in dire straits, but Immigration New Zealand says their hands are tied.
When it comes to granting exemptions on humanitarian grounds, they had to consider a range of factors.
Sorry, but come on.
As I say, if the bloody Wiggles can be let into the country, surely we can let in a family whose son has been assaulted and left for dead in our country.
Dawn, Josh's Mum, says the family is vaccinated, their bags are packed and they're willing to jump through any hoops to be with their boy.
At the same time, this very week, we have convicted criminal Karel Sroubek staging a behind closed doors appeal to be allowed to stay in NZ.
So clearly from the Wiggles, to stranded Kiwis, to Czech drug dealers, this government can and will make exceptions to its rules.
The Storer family needs to be with their boy and the red tape needs to be cut to allow them to do so.
Josh is in intensive care after undergoing two brain surgeries and his family, in a zoom call with his doctors, were told there were three options for Josh.
One, he could die. Two he could survive but with brain damage, and three he could recover almost back to his old self.
Josh has been living and working in New Zealand for the past three years - he works for a drainage company - and his family are in the UK.
The family, naturally, is desperate to be by his bedside. We all know the difference it makes having family with you when you're in dire straits, but Immigration New Zealand says their hands are tied.
When it comes to granting exemptions on humanitarian grounds, they had to consider a range of factors.
Sorry, but come on.
As I say, if the bloody Wiggles can be let into the country, surely we can let in a family whose son has been assaulted and left for dead in our country.
Dawn, Josh's Mum, says the family is vaccinated, their bags are packed and they're willing to jump through any hoops to be with their boy.
At the same time, this very week, we have convicted criminal Karel Sroubek staging a behind closed doors appeal to be allowed to stay in NZ.
So clearly from the Wiggles, to stranded Kiwis, to Czech drug dealers, this government can and will make exceptions to its rules.
The Storer family needs to be with their boy and the red tape needs to be cut to allow them to do so.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.