Can New Zealand ever walk its talk on
Multiculturalism? Or is it just feel-good talk and a load of hot air?
Thakur Ranjit Singh
It appears many, including the current government and Auckland
Council, agree that New Zealand is fast becoming a diverse and multicultural
society with over 200 ethnic communities and that is increasing over time.
However they seem to have scant regard for multiculturalism. The Government,
with so much talk about diversity, is yet to have a fully-fledged Ministry of
Ethnic Affairs. All it has is a token Office and a token Minister overlooking
that Office, without any action plan to work in appreciating and recognising
changing demographic landscape of New Zealand.
Auckland Council, the second most powerful institution, with almost a
third of country’s population has a Mayoral cheerleader called Ethnic Peoples
Advisory Panel (EPAP), masquerading as ethnic representation. Funding for Waitakere
Ethnic Board (WEB), perhaps the only exemplary and very active ethnic body, has
been withdrawn by Auckland Council, but they still strive on with the crumbs
that are thrown their way. We wonder when NZ will walk its talk on
multiculturalism. We are so thankful to Joris de Brez in his efforts to awaken
the dead. Hope this workshop by New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Council
(NZFMC) is able to remove the wax in the bureaucratic nonchalant ears of the
movers and shakers- hoping hopefully.
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| Joris de Brez- Former Human Rights Commissioner, now works with NZ Federation of Multicultural Councils ( NZFMC). He is conducting workshops on multicultural society in NZ and collecting data on feedback for setting up a vision and steps for government and communities to take practical steps to remove the barriers identified. |
Joris de Brez came to New Zealand from
Holland in 1954, and this Dutch went on to become New Zealand’s Human Right’s
Commissioner for two terms. Now, when he is retired, he has not been sitting
idle. He has been snapped by New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils
(NZFMC) as an honorary advisor.
Multicultural New Zealand is currently
holding workshops throughout New Zealand to encourage discussion on a vision
for a successful multicultural society and the barriers to achieving it. The
workshops are part of a programme to develop a strategic agenda for
multiculturalism and multilingualism in New Zealand, responding to our
rapidly diversifying population. Outcomes of the workshops will be
collated into a report which will set out a vision and the barriers that
need to be overcome. A further round of workshops will then take place to
determine what practical steps can be taken by government and communities to
overcome the barriers.
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| Waitakere Ethnic Board's (WEB) financial support, as agreed by former visionary Waitakere City Council was scrapped by the Super City, Auckland Council. Despite this handicap, WEB continues to make a difference and remains a prominent advocate body for ethnic communities. WEB organised this Multicultural workshop. Pictured here are some of the Executive Board Members of WEB with Honorary adviser, Joris de Brez. From Left: Thakur Ranjit Singh, Derec Lim, Shirley Freeman, Kwan Lim, Joris de brez, Baljit Singh ( WEB Coordinator), Rajeev Vasudeva and Boaz Habib ( President) |
One of these workshops was hosted by Waitakere Ethnic Board in Auckland
Council Chambers in Henderson, Auckland on 29 March, 2015. Three workshop
groups were formed, and overseen by facilitator, Joris de Brez. Two questions
were given to be discussed. These included 1) An aspect of a successful
multicultural society is…. and.. 2) A barrier to achieving a successful
multicultural society is…..
The group leaders were Kwan Lim, Malvinder Singh and yours
truly, Thakur Ranjit Singh. We came back to report the feedback of discussion by respective groups
and this developed into a very healthy discussion. Predominantly, this article
reports on discussion within my group, but also includes comments of others.
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| Kwan Lim, one of the group leaders, making her point during discussion |
On the first question on the aspect of
multiracial society, various ideas came in as follows:
a) Teaching and inculcating good values and respect at young age to
children at home and schools.
b) Teaching own language, history and heritage – those having pride
in their own will respect others.
c) Encouraging intermixing, inter-mingling and interactions in all
cases but particularly during respective cultural and religious festivals, like
Eid, Diwali, Easter, Christmas Parades, Lantern festival, African, Asian and
multi-cultural festival, among others.
d) Enhance mutual respect – respect others to be respected in turn.
e) Having liberal and conscientious religious leaders who can
preach the message of love, peace, integration, respect and unity.
f) Others: People of all ethnicities enjoy equitable
outcomes in education, health, housing, justice and employment. New migrants are welcomed, and are able to
access services freely and successfully. There are spaces and opportunities for
them to express their views and articulate their needs, so that Government
hears them. Their qualifications, education and experience are recognized and
valued, and they are able to find commensurate employment.
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| Malvinder Singh, one of the other group leaders, making a discussion point to one of the participants during networking. |
The second question on barriers to achieving
this dream of multiculturalism brought in, among others, the following thoughts,
some of them bordering on controversy which appear to be the bitter truth.
a) Religion – some felt that religion which was supposed to unite
people and promote peace are reasons for divisions and violence.
b) Politics – people indulging in politics tend to cause racial
tensions to get popular support, or say things that may get them votes.
c) Poverty – there seems to be is a divide between haves and
have-nots, the Remueras and Otaras - and usually this division is on racial
lines.
d) Lack of reflection of the population in governance and running
of the society. Example was given of Ferguson, USA where a population of
predominantly African Americans have majority White police officers. Same
issues applies in other areas where there is a perception that migrants and
ethnic people are not reflected or represented in governing of them.
e) The above leads to a partisan media which fails to reflect the
makeup of the population in their newsrooms. Journalists and reporters without
knowledge of other cultures and ethnicities tend to be insensitive and cause
tension in multicultural communities.
f) Others: There are insufficient platforms and spaces
where migrants can express their views and concerns freely. Ethnic communities
are grossly underrepresented, for example, in Auckland Council bodies. The media also fail to reflect the diversity
of society, being largely middle to upper class European. There is insufficient funding for service providers catering to new
migrants, and consequently a lack of continuity of services. Services that are
available are not sufficiently promoted and publicised, so many migrants are
unaware of assistance available to them.
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| Third Group Leader, Thakur Ranjit Singh, nailing on the issue of lack of colour in Auckland Council's Media and Communications dept and NZ Mainstream media. |
Commentary: Some of the issues
discussed above are relevant to many grievances that migrants and ethnic people
feel towards institutions and organisations like Auckland Council and New
Zealand’s mainstream media which fail to reflect the changing colour of the
country in their respective organisations. As far as Auckland Council is
concerned, I have raised concerns about Auckland Council failing to add colour
to its media and communications team with the changing demographic landscape of
Auckland. Qualified ethnic media people from the Super City which is fast
changing its colour, are denied positions, as the experience sought for these
positions only fit the Anglo Saxon media people who get preference in the job
market.
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| In a group discussion, the Immediate Past President of WEB,Tuwe Kudakwashe is emphatically making a point, calling for authorities to walk their talk on multiculturalism. |
I have attended few of these before, these are just PR (Public
Relations) stunts from the ministers to show they care. There are hardly any
action plans from the issues raised.
The issue here is:
Does anyone care? How do you remove such scepticism on issues relating to
ethnic people? The answer my friend, is blown with the wind, the answer is
blown with the wind.
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[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit
Singh is a media commentator and runs blogs FIJI PUNDIT and KIWI PUNDIT. He is
Media in Communications (MCS) scholar with honours from the best media school
in New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, and is a former newspaper
publisher from Fiji. Despite his qualifications and calls of adding colour to
media, communications and newsrooms, he still cannot infiltrate the White Media
Market, White recruiting agencies, and even add colour to Auckland Council’s
media and communications team. With so much PR talk on ethnic issues, and wasted
skills, what more is left to talk about aspirations and issues of ethnic
people? Hence the skepticism of the community on discussion of ethnic issues in
New Zealand]
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