Media Releases

Standing Together We Are Strong

March 20, 2019

The community shows support and solidarity at Masjid e Umar in Auckland. Photo/Oxfam NZ

The New Zealand we believe in is one where the hopes of refugees and migrants arriving in any New Zealand community are realised with welcome and safety.

It’s one where our Muslim whānau who have long been part of Aotearoa New Zealand would remain safe.

Above all, safety at prayer.

Let Friday be one of our darkest days, but one that we vow never to let happen again.

Let’s not give extremists the power to change who we are for the worse – let this be a chance for us to grow stronger, more committed to what is important to us, and to create every single day the communities that we want to live in.

Among our Muslim whānau are families that have come to New Zealand seeking safety, seeking shelter from persecution and conflict.

One family at a time, our volunteers and staff have been learning the stories of escape, and of hope for peace sought by people reaching New Zealand.

The New Zealand chapter of these stories was about neighbours helping neighbours by showing warmth and welcome as, one family at a time, our new whānau were beginning to rebuild their lives. We must continue.

We share faith that in standing together with love and compassion for our neighbours we will defeat hate. We know we must.

We stand for a community and a nation where freedom, justice, hope and love are not negotiable values, but at the heart of who we are.

Together, we make New Zealand what it is: a land of welcome, respect and openness.

This demands each of us make this vision real, and that we challenge injustice wherever we see it.

Kia kaha Christchurch.

A joint letter by the CEOs of New Zealand’s international NGO community:

• Rachael Le Mesurier, CEO Oxfam New Zealand
• Tony Blackett, Executive Director Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
• Julianne Hickey, CEO Caritas New Zealand
• Paul Brown, CEO ChildFund New Zealand
• Murray Sheard, CEO Christian Blind Mission New Zealand
• Pauline McKay, CEO Christian World Services Josie Pagani, CEO Council for International Development
• Jackie Edmond, CEO Family Planning New Zealand
• Claire Szabo, CEO Habitat for Humanity New Zealand
• Katrina Penney, Chair, Médecins Sans Frontières, New Zealand
• Heidi Coetzee, CEO Save the Children New Zealand
• Ian McInnes, CEO Tearfund Vivien Maidaborn, CEO UNICEF New Zealand
• Grant Bayldon, CEO World Vision New Zealand
• Livia Esterhazy, CEO WWF New Zealand

NZ’s two richest men gain $1.1b while poorest Kiwis lose out

January 21, 2019

The two richest people in New Zealand added an astounding NZ$1.1 billion to their fortunes in 2017-2018, while the wealth of the poorest half of the country decreased overall, according to new Oxfam research to be released today.

The report also reveals that the richest 5% of the population collectively owns more wealth than the bottom 90%.

Oxfam’s research forms part of a global report released to coincide with this week’s annual meeting of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world, as they gather at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is scheduled to attend the meeting, which focuses on global politics, economics and social issues.

Published later today, the full report, Public Good or Private Wealth?, shows how the growing gap between rich and poor is undermining the fight against poverty, damaging local economies and fuelling public anger across the globe. The report reveals how governments are exacerbating inequality by, on the one hand, underfunding public services such as healthcare and education, while, on the other, under taxing corporations and the wealthy, and failing to clamp down on tax avoidance. The research also finds that consistently, women and girls are hardest hit by rising economic inequality.

Rachael Le Mesurier, executive director of Oxfam New Zealand, said: “We have a long way to go before we can say that every Kiwi is getting a fair go. We know inequality is harmful for us all. It perpetuates poverty, erodes trust, fuels crime, makes us unhappy, negates economic growth, and robs opportunity from the poorest – including shortening their lives. And women and girls suffer the most – across their lifetimes women have less opportunity than men to get paid work, they earn less and are less able to invest in assets.

“One of the key things we can do to tackle inequality here and across the world is to tax wealth more. Our taxes pay for schools, hospitals, and infrastructure such as communications and roads on which we all rely. Across the world, rich multinational corporations and extremely wealthy individuals are not paying their fair share. When big business and the super-rich don’t pay their fair share of tax, the rest of us pay the price – with kids without teachers, long waiting lists for health interventions, and not enough police in our communities.

“But to tax wealth more, we need to see it. We need more transparency in our tax system, both for multinational corporations and extremely wealthy individuals. We need more information in the public realm so that we can make sure that the wealthy pay their fair share – and that we grow a New Zealand where everyone gets a fair go in life.

“We are eagerly anticipating the release of the Tax Working Group’s final report early this year. As a country we’ve been talking about wealth taxes, such as capital gains, for some time now. To tackle the stubborn inequality that plagues ordinary, working Kiwis, we need to stop talking and start doing,” said Le Mesurier. “We hope the Tax Working Group takes this opportunity to recommend greater wealth taxes and more transparency, and we encourage the government to take the bold action necessary to reduce inequality”.

Notes to editors

Oxfam’s calculations are based on the most up to date, comprehensive data sources available. Figures on the share of wealth owned by the poorest half of humanity come from Credit Suisse Wealth Databook and relate to the period June 2017 – June 2018. Figures on the very richest in society are based on more detailed data from the annual Forbes ‘Billionaires List’ and relates to the period March 2017 – March 2018.
The two richest New Zealanders are Graeme Hart and Richard Chandler. They own wealth of US$10.1 billion and US$2.1 billion respectively. In 2016 Singapore-based Chandler was named as using Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers tax avoidance controversy.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Kelsey-Rae Taylor | [email protected] | 021 298 5894

Billionaire fortunes grew by $2.5 billion a day last year as poorest saw their wealth fall

January 21, 2019

Billionaire fortunes increased globally by 12 percent last year – or US$2.5 billion a day – while the 3.8 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity saw their wealth decline by 11 percent, reveals a new report from Oxfam today.

The report is being launched as political and business leaders gather for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Earlier today Oxfam New Zealand reported that the two richest people in New Zealand added an astounding NZ$1.1 billion to their fortunes in 2017-2018, while the wealth of the poorest half of the country decreased overall by NZ$1.3 billion.

Public Good or Private Wealth shows the growing gap between rich and poor is undermining the fight against poverty, damaging our economies and fuelling public anger across the globe. It reveals how governments are exacerbating inequality by underfunding public services, such as healthcare and education, on the one hand, while under taxing corporations and the wealthy, and failing to clamp down on tax dodging, on the other. It also finds that women and girls are hardest hit by rising economic inequality.

Rachael Le Mesurier, Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand, said:

“The size of your bank account should not dictate how many years your children spend in school, or how long you live – yet this is the reality in too many countries across the globe. While corporations and the super-rich enjoy low tax bills, millions of girls are denied a decent education and women are dying for lack of maternity care.”

The report reveals that the number of billionaires has almost doubled since the financial crisis, with a new billionaire created every two days between 2017 and 2018, yet wealthy individuals and corporations are paying lower rates of tax than they have in decades.

Getting the richest one percent to pay just 0.5 percent extra tax on their wealth could raise more money than it would cost to educate the 262 million children out of school and provide healthcare that would save the lives of 3.3 million people.
Just four cents in every dollar of tax revenue collected globally came from taxes on wealth such as inheritance or property in 2015. These types of tax have been reduced or eliminated in many rich countries and are barely implemented in the developing world.
Tax rates for wealthy individuals and corporations have also been cut dramatically. For example, the top rate of personal income tax in rich countries fell from 62 percent in 1970 to just 38 percent in 2013. The average rate in poor countries is just 28 percent.
In some countries, such as Brazil, the poorest 10 percent of society are now paying a higher proportion of their incomes in tax than the richest 10 percent.

At the same time, public services are suffering from chronic underfunding or being outsourced to private companies that exclude the poorest people. In many countries a decent education or quality healthcare has become a luxury only the rich can afford. Every day 10,000 people die because they lack access to affordable healthcare. In developing countries, a child from a poor family is twice as likely to die before the age of five than a child from a rich family. In countries like Kenya a child from a rich family will spend twice as long in education as one from a poor family.

Cutting taxes on wealth predominantly benefits men who own 50 percent more wealth than women globally, and control over 86 percent of corporations.

Conversely, when public services are neglected poor women and girls suffer most. Girls are pulled out of school first when the money isn’t available to pay fees, and women clock up hours of unpaid work looking after sick relatives when healthcare systems fail. Oxfam estimates that if all the unpaid care work carried out by women across the globe was done by a single company it would have an annual turnover of $10 trillion – 43 times that of Apple, the world’s biggest company.

“People across the globe are angry and frustrated. Governments must now deliver real change by ensuring corporations and wealthy individuals pay their fair share of tax and investing this money in free healthcare and education that meets the needs of everyone – including women and girls whose needs are so often overlooked. Governments can build a brighter future for everyone – not just a privileged few,” added Le Mesurier.

Notes to editors

The report, methodology document explaining how Oxfam calculated the figures is available here. The data set is available on request.

Oxfam’s calculations are based on the most up to date, comprehensive data sources available. Figures on the share of wealth owned by the poorest half of humanity come from Credit Suisse Wealth Databook and relate to the period June 2017 – June 2018. Figures on the very richest in society are based on more detailed data from the Annual Forbes ‘Billionaires List’ and relates to the period March 2017 – March 2018.

COP24 – Governments face life and death decisions, says Oxfam

November 30, 2018

Photo: Katie G. Nelson/Oxfam

A global humanitarian catastrophe can still be averted if governments make climate action a priority, said Oxfam today ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland from 2 – 14^thDecember.

Oxfam and its partners are already delivering humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of people caught up in deadly floods, storms and droughts, made worse by climate change. This includes a persistent drought in the Horn of Africa that has led to devastating shortages of food and water, affecting at least 16 million people; unusually widespread flooding across Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia that damaged crops and property and displaced at least one million people in early 2018; and super typhoon Manghut that caused extensive damage across Asia in September – including in the Philippines where 200 mile an hour winds triggered deadly landslides.

Kristen Hite, Oxfam Climate Change Policy Lead for Oxfam said:

“We are already seeing the impact of just one degree of warming – with communities across the globe ravaged by fire, floods and storms like never before. Yet government’s current emissions pledges put us on track for a truly terrifying 3 degrees of warming.”

Climate change is a global threat but it is the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people – those who rely on rain to grow crops, live in poorly built structures in marginal areas, and lack savings or insurance – who are hit hardest.

Even limiting global warming to to 1.5 degrees Celsius could see 100 million more people pushed into poverty according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The World Bank has projected that 143million people will be displaced in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America by 2050 without urgent action.

Hite said, “Humanity needs bold, brave leadership and action right now. Countries suffering the worst impacts – like the Marshall Islands – are leading by example. It’s time for the world’s biggest, wealthiest emitters to follow their lead.”

“Governments meeting in Poland must cut emissions faster and further and developed countries must set out how they will mobilise the $100 billion a year they have promised to support climate action in poor countries,” added Hite.

One year on from conflict – dream of a better Mosul remains distant for many

July 11, 2018

One year after Mosul was retaken from ISIS, thousands of people are still unable to return home as parts of the city remain severely damaged and lack running water or electricity, Oxfam said today.

Thousands more don’t feel safe to return – including families whose houses have been completely destroyed in the fighting or are still to be cleared of unexploded bombs.

Across the country more than two million people have yet to return to their homes.

The densely-populated Old City of Mosul was extensively damaged in the last days of fighting and was left littered with unexploded bombs. More than 3,000 houses, schools and shops were destroyed and water networks damaged. Today, it remains one of the last areas in the city without running water.

Andres Gonzalez, Oxfam’s Country Director in Iraq said: “Parts of Mosul have been completely destroyed. Reconstruction has started but rebuilding Iraq’s second largest city will take time.

“We must not just rebuild what was there before – we have to do better than that. We need to prioritise the most vulnerable people who lost everything in the battle against ISIS, young people who missed out on years of education, and women and men whose freedom was severely curtailed.

“For there to be stability and peace in Iraq everyone must be allowed to return home or set up a new home, rejoin society and have a stake in the future of the country.”

Oxfam is working in the Old City fixing the damaged pipelines, repairing pumping stations, and providing water pipes and machinery to bring running water to the 130,000 people who have already returned.

Gonzalez said: “It is vital that people have access to clean drinking water, especially as it is now summer in Iraq with temperatures already reaching over 45 degrees Celsius.”

Abdulaziz Aljarba, Chief Executive of Oxfam’s partner Al Tahreer Association for Development said: “Alongside Iraqi authorities the international community should support projects that reduce poverty in Mosul and across Iraq. Communities must be consulted in the rebuilding process to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable families benefit.”

Oxfam has been working in Mosul since the first parts of the city were retaken from ISIS in 2016 – repairing damaged water pipelines, pumping stations and school bathrooms, bringing back clean drinking water to people returning home and ensuring children can go back to clean and safe schools.

Yemen: Hodeidah cannot be allowed to become a graveyard

July 8, 2018

Conditions for over half a million people in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah are steadily deteriorating with food in short supply and seriously damaged water and sewage systems increasing the risk of cholera, Oxfam said today.

More than 80,000 people have fled their homes, despite a recent reduction in the intensity of the fighting, while preparations continue for a bloody onslaught. In the city troops are being deployed, trenches are being dug and barricades erected. From the air the city outskirts are being bombed and leaflets are being dropped calling for insurrection.

Oxfam is calling on the UN Security Council, which will discuss the crisis today, not to allow Hodeidah to become a graveyard and to exert maximum diplomatic pressure on the warring parties to agree an immediate ceasefire and return to peace talks.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen said: “The fate of 600,000 people hangs in the balance. Slowly but surely the city is being squeezed and the real fear is that this is merely a precursor to an onslaught that will lead to widespread loss of life.

“Hodeidah cannot be allowed to become a graveyard. There is still time to stop this destruction.

“One of our biggest fears is an outbreak of cholera. Hodeidah was a cholera hot spot last year and a repeat would be devastating for the people there.

“The backers of this war – including those in Western capitals – need to stop fuelling the conflict and put maximum pressure on all sides of this war to agree an immediate ceasefire. Failure to act now will leave them culpable.”

The city’s streets are empty and many shops, bakeries and markets have closed, according to Oxfam contacts in the city. People have been panic buying, while food is scarce. Essential items such as flour – the main staple – vegetable oil and cooking gas are in short supply. Prices have increased with a sack of rice up 350 per cent, wheat up 50 per cent and cooking oil up by 40 per cent. At the same time, many families’ incomes have been hit by the closure of dozens of factories and businesses.

Hodeidah Governorate is one of the worst affected areas of Yemen with a quarter of children suffering from malnutrition. Last year it was just one step away from famine, with nearly 800,000 suffering from severe hunger and the situation remains desperate.

Water is in short supply. Parts of the city’s water supply and sewage system have been cut due to the digging of defensive positions. This raises the threat of cholera as people are forced to start using unprotected shallow wells or surface water. Hodeidah was hit hard by last year’s cholera outbreak which was the world’s largest since records began.

At least 35,000 people have been forced to flee their homes due to the fighting around the southern outskirts of Hodeidah. They have settled in parts of the city further away from the fighting and many have sheltered in schools. Getting aid into the city is already challenging and will be increasingly difficult if fighting intensifies.

Some 46,000 people have managed to flee the city but escape is perilous with the threat of bombing, fighting and landmines. The city’s poor cannot afford the high cost of leaving the city. It can cost 60,000 riyals (£115) to take a family out of the city to the relative safety of the capital Sana’a. Even if they could afford the travel costs they would then have to pay at least 200,000 riyals (£380) for rent and food a month.

Oxfam is helping 10,000 people who have fled north of the city but helping those outside the city is also proving difficult due to the ongoing conflict.

The port of Hodeidah is key to providing the bulk of all the food imported into the country and the majority of its medicines. If this vital life line is cut for a significant amount of time then the lives of more than 8 million people who are already on the verge of starvation will be further put in jeopardy.