One of the workers, Lyn Soapi, said the group were sad to be leaving without anything to show for their efforts but happy to be going home. Read more

They say the pay rates set out in the contracts they signed back in Vanuatu have been ignored, leaving them around $300 a week short of what they were earning the season before. Continue reading

Police chiefs and Church representatives from across the world gathered in London alongside Home Office ministers for a Conference aimed at developing strategies to combat human trafficking.

Cardinal John said he felt both privileged to attend and horrified at what he heard.

New Zealand is destination country for human trafficking.

Estimates of human trafficking in New Zealand are modest, with some reports of debt bondage and confiscation of documents among women in prostitution.

Cardinal John is calling on Catholics in New Zealand to inform themselves about Human Trafficking and to take action.

Cardinal John asks if you know that:

• The average age of a victim is 12 years old
• That every 30 seconds someone is trafficked
• Females make up 75% of all victims
• Only 1 to 2% of victims are ever rescued
• Sex trafficking generates $150 billion US dollars annually
• The Global slavery Index estimates that there are 600 slaves in New Zealand

He makes the following suggestions about what can be done to to become aware of, help others to become aware and do something to combat this evil:

• Do a web search on the words human trafficking and start reading about it.
• Read Pope Francis' Message for the World Day of Peace published for 1 January this year "No Longer Slaves, but Brothers and Sisters" (Vatican website).
• Speak to your Members of Parliament and ask them to become informed and involved.
• Look for indications where people seem never to go out socially, or employers do not allow them to have a holiday.
• Look at farms, vineyards, orchards, the fishing industry, restaurants -look for signs of people being exploited.
• Find out about the Seasonal Workers Legislation at www.dol.govt.nz.
• Become suspicious if you hear of people whose passports or identity documents are kept from them.
• Ask questions if working conditions do not allow for reasonable breaks and rests.
• Pray with Pope Francis: "May we have the courage to touch the suffering flesh of Christ, revealed in the faces of those countless efforts to free victims and stop this crime that's become ever more aggressive, that threatens not just individuals, but the foundational values of society, international security and laws, the economy, families and communities" persons whom he calls 'the least of my brothers and sisters."

New Zealand is destination country for human trafficking.

Estimates of human trafficking in New Zealand are modest, with some reports of debt bondage and confiscation of document among women in prostitution.

The Global Slavery Index is produce by the Walk Free Foundation.

The methodology used to compile the index has been described by some as "extremely crude"

The Santa Marta Group, led by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Cardinal Vincent Nichols is an alliance of international police chiefs and Bishops from around the world, working together with civil society to eradicate human trafficking and provide pastoral care to victims.

This was an initiative inspired by Pope Francs when he asked people to come together to try to combat the evil of modern day slavery, of human trafficking and various ways people are exploited today.

Source

• Catholic News.org.uk
• Cardinal John Dew's Newsletter
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

As from 2 July up to 2000 places are available in 2012-13 for seasonal workers. They will be able to spend six months in Australia, working in hospitality, horticulture and other parts of the primary sector.

Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu have already provided workers to three rural regions of Australia during an initial trial.

Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu are now being invited to part of the second group of nations to take part.

Nauru has been the first from this second group to formalise the seasonal worker scheme with Australia.

"We expect many of the workers coming over to participate in the program will also be looking to attend church services and participate in the life of the parish throughout their stay in Australia" said Fr Maurizio Pettenà, National Director of ACMRO, "Parishes and local community groups are encouraged to make these workers feel welcomed and included".

The Catholic Church, through ACMRO, has been part of the National Stakeholder Consultative Panel (NSCP) in order to assist with consultation and engagement in implementing the Seasonal Worker Program.

"The Seasonal Worker Program is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the economic development of Pacific Island countries," said Joe Moloney, ACMRO consultant to the NSCP. "The program also offers a reliable, returning workforce to Australian employers who are struggling to find local Australian workers, especially at harvest time."

Seasonal workers will be able to gain employment for up to 6 months in the horticultural industry helping Australian growers on crops such as citrus, cucumbers, grapes, almonds, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, stone fruit, apples and more.

"Employers who cannot find Australian jobseekers will need to guarantee seasonal workers a minimum amount of work and pay them in accordance with the relevant award or industrial instrument's, the same amount that Australian workers receive", he said.

Source

• Pacific Beat
• ACMRO
• Image: Google Images

No statement followed, but sources say the Americans were alarmed at a lack of recognition of trafficking in New Zealand.

One of the issues the Americans are investigating is the seasonal workers' scheme which allows people from Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands to do seasonal work in New Zealand.

"The burden of illegal costs and debts on these labourers in the source country, often with the support of labour agencies and employers in the destination country, can contribute to a situation of debt bondage," a source said.

"Are we really surprised that the great United States of America is now going out of its way to sabotage the Pacific Islands' seasonal worker scheme with New Zealand?" says Tupuola Terry Tavita in Savali. "A scheme that has seen thousands of Pacific Islanders, legally, working on New Zealand farms on short-term contracts.

'The irony is, Washington's selfish motives appear to have nothing to do with the Pacific Islands and everything to do with the murky world of international trade with New Zealand. And serving the U.S best interests."

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Savali
• Image: TeAra