15 May 2009 Media Statement

Huo saddened by silence of National’s Asian MPs

Auckland-based Labour List MP Raymond Huo says that as a first-term MP of Asian origin he is astonished and disappointed this week that the National Party’s Asian MPs have been “silent and smiling collaborators in legislation that will deny a meaningful voice to the large and growing Asian population in Auckland”.

Raymond Huo said the Labour Party has been engaged in a protracted debate in Parliament to try to hold the Government to account over its two Bills that will allow it to grab effective local government power in Auckland.

“Statistics New Zealand predicts that about one third of Auckland residents will be of Asian ethnicity by 2016, up from 20% in 2001. It is really sad that Asian MPs of the National Party have been systematically silent on such important legislation which has created the biggest challenge Auckland has faced in its entire history.

“In a real sense, Labour has become the last line of defence for Aucklanders against the power grab.”

Raymond Huo said Labour had been debating the legislation on principled grounds, particularly:

• The Government’s decision to set up a transition agency in Auckland to establish the super-city infrastructure in effect gives control of Auckland local government functions to the National Government in Wellington. This makes all talk of meaningful consultation with Aucklanders just nonsense.

• National’s proposals for toothless community boards and at large councillors mean that henceforth all real power in greater Auckland will be vested in councillors from one or two wealthy suburbs like Remuera.

“Under National’s plans the people of South Auckland and West Auckland in particular are likely to be denied real ability to influence future local government in Auckland, and so will the small but growing number of elected community board members and councillors of Asian ethnicity.

“That is why I have been so disappointed at the way National’s Asian MPs have happily gone along with all Rodney Hide’s plans.

“It is an irony that Melissa Lee is trying to win a local constituency in Auckland to represent local people at the same time as the Government is set to strip meaningful power from local people at local government level. How many councillors at large will be elected from Mt Albert?”

Raymond Huo said the growing number of Asian MPs in Parliament “is a source of pride to the New Zealand Asian population, but I wonder how long such pride will be preserved if Asian people see their ‘representatives’ collaborating in measures that will strip them of a meaningful voice in local affairs.”

ENDS

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