Doing Our Bit booklet

This booklet was published to support the Double the Refugee Quota campaign in 2016. The campaign began in 2013 and is run by the independent activist organisation Doing Our Bit led by Murdoch Stephens who is assisted by volunteers and supporters throughout New Zealand.

The plight of refugees throughout the world has become particularly urgent and topical with the massive exodus of Syrian refugees since 2010. Many are debating whether New Zealand should increase its quota of refugees who arrive through the UNHCR resettlement programme. Since 1987 New Zealand's quota has remained at 750 refugees a year. It is up for review by the government this year, hence the publication of this booklet to reach more people than just those engaged with the associated ongoing online campaign.

The booklet offers practical advice on how to help and how to counter arguments against refugees coming to New Zealand. It explains the background to the campaign, the refugee quota system in New Zealand, and the global context. It also provides readers with a self-assessment test of how involved they would like to be in the campaign - from passive interest to those who are willing to protest and debate publicly.

The booklet was self-published by Murdoch Stephens with help from publishing friends. He believes in the power of traditional print methods of activism such as posters, pamphlets and fliers. The booklet has a National Library ISBN number so that it is considered a book to be kept instead of throwaway ephemera.