11 October 1999
UNITED: LABOUR’S ETHNIC AFFAIRS MINISTRY TOKENISM
United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says Labour’s plan to appoint a Minister of Ethnic Affairs is a tokenistic
gesture only.
“Labour is offering a mere sop to the ethnic communities, because it will not ensure that the new Minister will have the
clout or seniority to do the job properly.”
“To be truly effective, a Minister of Ethnic Affairs must sit at the Cabinet table, yet it is clear that all Labour is
contemplating is a token junior Minister outside the Cabinet, with no real influence.”
“Also, to be truly effective, a Minister of Ethnic Affairs must have an automatic right to comment on all aspects of
Government policy that affect ethnic communities, the way the Treasurer and the Minister of Treaty Negotiations do at
present regarding economic policy and Treaty issues.”
“Labour is not promising to give its Minister of Ethnic Affairs that authority, so, consequently, the position will be
merely token and ineffectual under Labour, with ethnic voters being taken for granted the way Maori were by Labour for
so many years,” Mr Dunne says.
Mr Dunne says United would establish a Ministry of Ethnic Affairs, and would push for the position of Minister of Ethnic
Affairs to be a Cabinet position, with the Minister to be fully involved at all levels of decision-making on issues
affecting New Zealand’s ethnic communities.
“Anything less is selling short the contribution and importance of ethnic communities to New Zealand’s future.”
“Unlike Labour, United’s commitment to New Zealand’s ethnic communities and true multi-culturalism is genuine, and
demonstrated by the fact that there will be people from at least 10 ten different nationalities represented on our party
list,” he says.
ENDS
New Zealand’s Liberal Party
MEDIA STATEMENT
HON PETER DUNNE, MP
LEADER UNITED NEW ZEALAND
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 1.
e-mail: peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz. Internet Address: http://www.united.org.nz
New Zealand’s Liberal Party