Ethnic Leaders Demand Enhanced Resources for Social Cohesion

Ethnic leaders in New Zealand are advocating for increased resources to address social cohesion and health disparities. This call to action emerged during a meeting with opposition leader Chris Hipkins in Auckland on October 27, 2023. Representatives from the National Ethnic and Faith Community Leaders Network participated in the discussions, alongside the Labour Party’s spokesperson for ethnic communities, Jenny Salesa.

Following the closed meeting, Hipkins highlighted the challenges facing ethnic communities, noting that issues related to employment, health, housing, and the cost of living have intensified since his last engagement with the group. “Life has become tougher for the ethnic communities,” he remarked. “Issues around the cost of living have gotten worse, and I think polarisation continues to be a real area of concern.”

Social cohesion emerged as a prominent concern during the discussions, particularly for Dame Ranjna Patel, who emphasized the growing division between ethnic communities and the mainstream society. “The social cohesion in the ethnic community and mainstream is very divided at the moment, and it’s just progressively getting louder and more of a problem,” she stated. Patel called for collective action among diverse groups to develop pragmatic and manageable solutions to these complex issues.

The discussion also focused on health disparities affecting Asian New Zealanders, led by Debbie Chin, president of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Chinese Association. “We’re looking for improved access to services for our Chinese and Asian communities,” Chin explained. She stressed the need for service providers to understand cultural nuances and for diversification in service delivery and decision-making.

Chin referred to a recent report indicating that nearly half of Asian parents reported their children experienced bullying in schools within the past year, often linked to racism. “I hope the government will put investment in to ensure that our people are not bullied and that children understand that such behavior is unacceptable,” she said, advocating for a commitment to inclusion and social cohesion across communities and schools.

Hipkins assured attendees that the Labour Party would consider these issues in shaping their policies leading up to the next election. “Part of the reason that we’re here is that we want to make sure that we’re listening to New Zealanders as we develop our policies,” he noted.

As ethnic leaders continue to express their concerns, the call for more resources to foster social cohesion and address health disparities reflects a growing urgency to ensure that all communities in New Zealand can thrive together.