5. Refugees—QuotaDENISE ROCHE (Green) to the Minister of ImmigrationRefugees—Quota5. DENISE ROCHE (Green) to the Minister of Immigration: Does he stand by his statement that we take our international humanitarian obligations and responsibilities seriously" given that the Government will not make any permanent increase to the refugee quota for another 2 years at a time when we are facing the biggest refugee crisis since World War Two?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Immigration): Yes.Denise Roche: Given that the refugee quota has not increased since 1987 and our population has increased by 43 percent over these three decades would he agree that we could be more ambitious than being in the 90th place in the world for the number of refugees we accept?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: When the member refers to the 90th place she is moving away from the prefacing statement in her question which is about quota. This Government has made a significant investment into the quality of the settlement outcomes for the refugees we do take which by any measure are not as good as they could be. But if one was to ask the Syrian refugees whom we are taking right now whether they care that they are not called "quota refugees" they would say they do not; they are just very happy to be welcomed into this country.Denise Roche: What does he say to New Zealand Red Cross Amnesty International the Anglican Church the Catholic Church and the tens of thousands of ordinary fair-minded Kiwis who say we can and should support 1500 of the millions of women men and children who are fleeing terrible circumstances into a safe haven in New Zealand?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I do not need to answer that question in the hypothetical. I can tell the member that Catholic bishops Caritas and Red Cross have all congratulated the Government on the announcement this week. Amnesty International has expressed disappointment in that and that is completely understandable given that it led the call to double the quota. But I am very satisfied that we do a number of things to fulfil our international obligations firstly in the refugee space but not only that. We have increased our financial aid to countries like Iraq and Syria and the countries around them. We have been building schools in southern Turkey and our defence force response into Afghanistan through provincial reconstruction and training in Iraq all contribute to stability in the regions and I am very proud of that.Mr SPEAKER: Supplementary question the Rt Hon Winston Peters—the Rt Hon Prime Minister—the Rt Hon Prime Minister.Rt Hon John Key: I know both of us have been booted out of the House this year but anyway there we go.Mr SPEAKER: Just ask the question.Rt Hon John Key: Does the Minister think that if political parties feel amazingly strongly about doubling the quota for refugees they should have that as an absolute bottom line and not form a Government with another party that might one day say it is not prepared to do that?Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: I do not need any assistance from the member. That question is designed for nothing else but to attack another member. [Interruption] Order!Denise Roche: Why are we risking our reputation as a responsible global citizen and member of the United Nations Security Council by delaying this small increase to the refugee quota until 2018 when even Australia is accepting around three times more than we do on a per capita basis?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I reject the implication that this country's reputation is at risk. It is quite the opposite. We are held up for the quality of our settlement outcomes and for the support that we have provided not only to refugees but also to other parts of the globe."