Ethnic Affairs

The world today is increasingly interconnected. As a result, people of different cultures and religious beliefs have converged together. New Zealand has long since welcomed people of diverse ethnic background to its shores. Diversity has made our New Zealand society culturally rich yet it has also presented us with challenges that must be taken seriously so we are able to create social harmony and peaceful co-existence.

In keeping with the guiding principles of the UnitedFuture Party, we affirm that we are interested in creating a modern multicultural society which encourages social harmony and unity through respect for individual differences and cultural diversity.

New Zealand is a multi-racial and multi-religious society. Being critically aware of the crippling effect of communal tensions around the world, the UF Party will ensure that our policies are geared towards New Zealand giving importance to promoting and maintaining racial and religious harmony.

Our Ethnic Affairs policy will ensure that the provision of equality of opportunity for all New Zealanders to progress will continue unabated so that it will provide the broader context for the growth of social cohesion. We will continue to advocate for tolerance and respect for different cultures and religious beliefs allowing them to express freely without impinging on our laws and social norms. We will ensure that the core principles of multiculturalism, tolerance and equal opportunity for all will be the shining beacons of our nation. We want a country where everyone can hold their head up high, irrespective of religion, faith, belief, ethnicity, and social origin.

UnitedFuture will endeavour to listen to all ethnic groups in New Zealand and work together in ensuring that their valuable representations are heard on various issues.

It is UnitedFuture Policy to:

Accept the recommendations of the Constitutional Advisory Panel to continue the "constitutional conversation". UnitedFuture will work with the government to ensure that ethnic communities are given opportunities to have a deeper understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and tangata whenua;
Allocate more resources to provide support for new migrants as they settle in New Zealand, so that they are able to integrate themselves well with the mainstream population. A steady stream of diverse ethnic communities have arrived in New Zealand by way of family/business migrations and through refugee intakes and made New Zealand their home (approximately 13% of the total population);
Continue to advocate for equal employment opportunities for ethnic minorities, who are under-represented in public service, media and private businesses;
Offer appropriate training and re-training for new migrants in relevant fields of work (e.g. nursing, child care and elderly care);
Allocate funding to provide appropriate English classes for migrants to help them participate in civil society;
Facilitate and support ethnic communities to initiate targeted programmes to educate their youth about their cultural roots and traditions;
Advocate for government agencies and NGOs to engage with the different ethnic communities and provide them with culturally appropriate services to address family violence;
Oppose the current Government's proposal to abolish the specific title and office of the Race Relations Commissioner. This will result in a loss of advocacy to question racially motivated actions, and runs counter to our commitment to promoting tolerance and understanding amongst the ethnic communities of New Zealand;
Recognise that an aging population generates specific issues for ethnic communities (such as the need to integrate elderly migrants into the wider community), and work with communities on programmes and initiatives to help seniors feel valued in our society;
Overhaul the various programmes and funding arrangements to assist migrant settlement to ensure they are appropriately targeted to the needs of ethnic communities, identify service gaps, and encourage integration and social cohesion.

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