Questions remain on processes for asylum seekers convicted of serious crimes in New Zealand. 

Proposed Government reforms will let immigration officials take crimes committed by a refugee-applicant into account. 

New Zealand is obligated under international conventions to keep them here.  

Immigration lawyer Pooja Sundar says one option is giving asylum seekers a series of work visas - but that could limit their access to rehabilitation. 

"The criminal justice system we have in New Zealand will take care of that, that doesn't mean that we have to send them home to potentially be facing death."

LISTEN ABOVE

Questions remain on processes for asylum seekers convicted of serious crimes in New Zealand.&nbsp;
Proposed Government reforms will let immigration officials take crimes committed by a refugee-applicant into account.&nbsp;
New Zealand is obligated under international conventions to keep them here. &nbsp;
Immigration lawyer Pooja Sundar says one option is giving asylum seekers a series of work visas - but that could limit their access to rehabilitation.&nbsp;
"The criminal justice system we have in New Zealand will take care of that, that doesn't mean that we have to send them home to potentially be facing death."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Pooja Sundar: immigration lawyer on the Government's new approach for refugees with criminal records seeking asylum

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/65a45b1a-b59c-4784-8a23-b411005bad3c/transcript

Economists are questioning Treasury's 'worst case' economic forecast from the Iran war.

It predicts a worst case scenario of inflation hitting 3.7 percent this year - if the conflict persists.

Independent economist Cameron Bagrie says he doesn't think Treasury has properly taken into account businesses feeling the second-hand impact of rising fuel prices.

"If they've got a reason to push up prices under the guise of what's going on in Hormuz around the globe, firms are going to use that excuse and try to jam in some price rises. We've seen it before."

LISTEN ABOVE

Economists are questioning Treasury's 'worst case' economic forecast from the Iran war.
It predicts a worst case scenario of inflation hitting 3.7 percent this year - if the conflict persists.
Independent economist Cameron Bagrie says he doesn't think Treasury has properly taken into account businesses feeling the second-hand impact of rising fuel prices.
"If they've got a reason to push up prices under the guise of what's going on in Hormuz around the globe, firms are going to use that excuse and try to jam in some price rises. We've seen it before."
LISTEN ABOVE

Cameron Bagrie: independent economist responds to Treasury's 'worst case' economic forecast

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d453bb9b-2439-4972-90b3-b411007293f5/transcript

Okay, once again - not for the first time on this show and probably not the last - thank goodness for Erica Stanford.

Normally, she’s righting wrongs in education but today it’s her other portfolio: immigration.

She has just introduced legislation to Parliament that would make it possible for New Zealand to say no to asylum seekers if they have committed a serious offence in this country. It might blow your mind to learn that this isn’t currently the case.

Right now, if someone comes to New Zealand and says, “I need to be a refugee” and then goes on to commit a serious offence before their refugee status has been decided - so no decision has been taken at the time - the officials making that decision are not allowed to take into account the fact that the person has committed a crime in New Zealand.

That is bonkers, isn’t it?

And it’s not theoretical. It has happened and it is happening. There are 14 asylum seekers in New Zealand awaiting a decision who have been convicted of serious offences: murder, serious sexual offences, serious drug offences and arson.

Under this change, those crimes will now be considered - and I hope to God in every one of those cases it’s a big, fat no. We do not need murderers in this country.

Apparently, though, we are a soft touch globally. What’s happening here is actually not unusual. Around the world, it’s standard practice to take into account crimes committed in country before granting refugee status.

The EU has rules that allow refugee status to be stripped for criminal offending. Australia goes even further — it has passed laws allowing refugee status to be revoked altogether, even after someone has already been declared a refugee.

So prepare yourselves for the usual hand-wringing from the usual suspects. But this is yet another example of Erica Stanford doing something that’s just plain common sense.

Yes, absolutely, we have a duty to protect people from persecution if they would come to harm by returning to their home country. But our first duty is to protect our own people.

LISTEN ABOVE

Okay, once again - not for the first time on this show and probably not the last - thank goodness for Erica Stanford.
Normally, she’s righting wrongs in education but today it’s her other portfolio: immigration.
She has just introduced legislation to Parliament that would make it possible for New Zealand to say no to asylum seekers if they have committed a serious offence in this country. It might blow your mind to learn that this isn’t currently the case.
Right now, if someone comes to New Zealand and says, “I need to be a refugee” and then goes on to commit a serious offence before their refugee status has been decided - so no decision has been taken at the time - the officials making that decision are not allowed to take into account the fact that the person has committed a crime in New Zealand.
That is bonkers, isn’t it?
And it’s not theoretical. It has happened and it is happening. There are 14 asylum seekers in New Zealand awaiting a decision who have been convicted of serious offences: murder, serious sexual offences, serious drug offences and arson.
Under this change, those crimes will now be considered - and I hope to God in every one of those cases it’s a big, fat no. We do not need murderers in this country.
Apparently, though, we are a soft touch globally. What’s happening here is actually not unusual. Around the world, it’s standard practice to take into account crimes committed in country before granting refugee status.
The EU has rules that allow refugee status to be stripped for criminal offending. Australia goes even further — it has passed laws allowing refugee status to be revoked altogether, even after someone has already been declared a refugee.
So prepare yourselves for the usual hand-wringing from the usual suspects. But this is yet another example of Erica Stanford doing something that’s just plain common sense.
Yes, absolutely, we have a duty to protect people from persecution if they would come to harm by returning to their home country. But our first duty is to protect our own people.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Another common-sense move from Erica Stanford

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/644aa397-f93f-4135-aa7b-b4110070bedf/transcript

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 18 March.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 18 March. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 18 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ed7287be-3ab5-4659-9bd5-b41100662a33/transcript

Pooja Sundar: immigration lawyer on the Government's new approach for refugees with criminal records seeking asylum

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