Scoop's "Meet The MPs" Project: Rajen Prasad

Scoop's "Meet The MPs" Project: Liam Napier Talk To Labour’s Rajen Prasad

Rajen Prasad is the twelfth Labour list member of parliament. He has great experience as a Race Relations Conciliator between 1996 and 2001, as a social policy worker, and was also chief of the Families Commission for four years.

He is an advocate of the anti-smacking legislation and believes 80-per cent of New Zealand parents are bringing up their children positively.

Mr Prasad said the law is working and there is no evidence that it is not criminalising parent s by unfairly prosecuting.

He is in favour of the MMP system and said it has lead to parliament diversifying brining in people who would not be there otherwise. Every party now has people from different ethnicities, religious backgrounds, and is looking like a slice of New Zealand society.

He is a member of a Labour party that is going through a significant rebuilding phase after a large defeat in the last election, but said they have the right personal and policies to mount a serious challenge in the next election campaign.

His party is working hard to reconnect and listen to the New Zealand people that are increasingly playing a part in twenty first century democracy.

Positions:

• Member, Social Services Committee
• Spokesperson, Community and Voluntary Sector
• Associate Spokesperson, Social Development (Family and Child, Youth and Family)

Doc Prasad’s dream list of MP’s is:

Peter Dunn (United Future) - A man who cares and possesses a acute, articulate mind. He also has huge experience.

Metiria Turei (Green Party) – A committed worker with the ability to put complex ideas together and stick with them. She also has other agendas apart from the environment.

Grant Robertson (Wellington central Labour) - He is an experienced hard worker who cares about the people around him and how their lives are affected.

Phil Goff (Labour leader) – An intelligent man who provides opportunity for everyone to participate and introduces the right mix of people to produce the great country that we want to become. He also thinks widely about all issues.

Charles Chauvel ( Labour) – A lawyer with a clear social conscience.

Te Ururoa Flavell (Maori Party)- A man who doesn’t get distracted and is stepped in Maoridom. He is also very easy to talk to.

Simon Power (National) – A strategic hard worker who has an air of take no prisoners about him.

Liam Napier is a journalism student at Massey University

ENDS

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