Priyanca Radhakrishnan. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan has claimed the interests of the ethnic community will be threatened if an ACT-National coalition wins this year's general election.
The minister was addressing a post-Budget forum for ethnic communities in Auckland last week.
"The difference between having an office and a ministry is we have a chief executive now. This is a dedicated resource, whose value was realised even more during Covid when we needed to work in conjunction with various ministries, be it the vaccination drive, translating resources in community languages, immigration issues, delivering $4 million in funding support or working with the Muslim community to develop rehabilitation programmes," Radhakrishnan said.
"All this good work done by my ministry, and the overall interest of the ethnic communities will be under threat if there's a change in government in October.
"The ACT Party has already declared it wants to abolish the Ministry of Ethnic Communities. With the National Party not taking any stand on it yet, in all probability, their coalition will abolish the ministry if they come to power."
The minister was referring to ACT's alternative budget, which outlined the party's intentions to abolish demographic ministries - including the Ministry of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities.
"Most of these ministries replicate work which should already be done in policy ministries or the Ministry of Culture and Heritage" the ACT document noted. "Any additional influence they do have over government policy is likely to be in the damaging direction of undermining the unity of New Zealand as a modern multicultural society,"
Asked to comment on the minister's remarks, ACT Party leader David Seymour claimed the ministry had not delivered on its promises.
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
"The minister needs to ask herself: What has this ministry done that helps people in their day-to-day life? It is not difficult to make up for scrapping a ministry that that does no practical good," Seymour said.
"In my experience, New Zealanders want safe streets, affordable living and to be treated with dignity - not second-class citizens under a twisted Treaty. The minister and her ministry have not helped deliver these outcomes for anybody.
"Our fully costed alternative budget abolishes demographic ministries. This is one of the many reductions we would make to lower government spending, stop inflation and cut taxes without touching a single frontline service.
"ACT's approach instead is to reorient the public service towards a focus on equal opportunity according to robust statistical evidence instead of racial targeting.
"Ethnic communities would be served better under ACT's proposal. Instead of being defined by their race they will be defined by their need, and receive a level of support that reflects this."
