Local bodies ‘cannot sponsor refugees’
Heathcote County councillors feel that local authorities should be allowed to sponsor refugees. The Minister of Immigration (Mr Bolger) told the council’s finance and administration committee in a letter that he was “not prepared to authorise local bodies to act as sponsors.” ; He did not want to see the personal affairs or financial H commitments of refugees and helpers discussed by ■ councils. i But councils should encourage non-public bodies, . such as church groups and j service clubs, to be spon- , Isors. , Cr W. M. Hindmarsh [asked “who better” than
local body representatives deciding who should settle in a community, Mr Bolger’s comment was an odd exception to a lot of Government legislation which put community obligations on local authorities, he said. Local authorities also conferred citizenship !on aliens. | He believed that sponsors (could be any body or person. I Cr B. K. Roberts said it was “far-fetched” to believe that councils would discuss I the affairs of sponsors and (refugees in public. The committee decided to apply to the Labour Department for listing as a sponsor for two Indo-Asian refugee families.
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Press, 27 November 1979, Page 6
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186Local bodies ‘cannot sponsor refugees’ Press, 27 November 1979, Page 6
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