Manaakitanga in the age of COVID

Thousands of short-term migrants are trapped in New Zealand due to COVID-19. A series of ad hoc extensions to their visas have allowed them to stay. The Government should apply principles of manaakitanga – hospitality, kindness, generosity, support – and issue these people with a one-off right to stay in New Zealand till the end of 2024. Clearing the backlog of permanent residence visas for people already in New Zealand and welcoming more refugees should also be priorities.