Ethnic Communities Ministry backed after call for review

After Multicultural New Zealand said that responsibility for cultural diversity should sit across all government portfolios instead of sitting with a single ministry, Ethnic Communities Minister Mark Mitchell praised the ministry for its “outstanding work supporting a wide range of communities across New Zealand”.

The call for a review of the ministry came as part of a declaration released at the New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils’ annual general meeting in Wellington last month.

It was attended by 23 regional multicultural councils from across New Zealand, which are all part of Multicultural New Zealand.

Pancha Narayanan, president of Multicultural New Zealand, pointed to what he said was a “unanimous agreement [at the annual meeting] that New Zealand needs a new approach to recognise and serve [its] cultural diversity”.

“That’s why we are calling for a fundamental review of the Minister for Ethnic Communities’ portfolio and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities,” Mr Narayanan said.

“Cultural diversity is not the responsibility of one ministry,” he said.

“It affects every part of government, including health, education, employment, housing, justice, economic development and public services,” he said.

“The ministry has valuable functions that should be retained and strengthened, particularly community engagement, evidence, advice, advocacy and improving the responsiveness of government services.”

A proposed “new approach to cultural diversity”, Mr Narayanan said, meant separating religion from culture.

“People from the same culture can have different religions or no religion,” he said. “[Similarly] religious communities also cross ethnic, cultural and national boundaries.

“[That’s why] Multicultural New Zealand is calling for the establishment of an independent Crown entity for religious affairs.

“It will provide impartial advice on religious freedom, and the relationship between religion and the state, within New Zealand’s human rights and constitutional framework.”

Mr Mitchell said he is proud of the services delivered by the Ethnic Communities ministry – “from helping ethnic communities access government services, working on social cohesion and providing advice, information and support in relation to foreign interference”.

The minister agreed the entire government was responsible for the welfare of ethnic communities in New Zealand, not just one ministry.

“The ministry’s role is primarily as chief advisor on the perspective of ethnic communities, a job which they do very well.”

FULL STORY

Multicultural groups demand Ethnic Communities Ministry rethink (By Gaurav Sharma/Radio New Zealand)