12. Dr RAJEN PRASAD (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Ethnic Affairs
What will be the effects of the proposed relocation of the Office of Ethnic Affairs to tier three in the new structure for the Department of Internal Affairs on the services it currently provides to ethic communities?
Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister of Internal Affairs) Link to this
The roles and functions of the Office of Ethnic Affairs will remain exactly the same as they are now.
Why is it, in his opinion, that staff and stakeholders expressed opposition to the downgrading of the office and were concerned that it may lessen access to the Minister and chief executive, as well as sending a negative message to stakeholders about its importance?
The director’s role is unchanged in a new policy, regulatory, and ethnic affairs branch of the Department of Internal Affairs. That member should not get hung up on tier levels. The Department of Internal Affairs’ passport operation, for instance, the member might be pleased to know, employs 170 people in New Zealand and overseas, generates third-party revenues of more than $55 million, and is critically important to New Zealand’s security, international access, and success. It is bigger than some stand-alone Government departments, and, indeed, is led by a third-tier manager.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question was about the Office of Ethnic Affairs, and I asked the Minister to express his views on why stakeholders have expressed an opinion. He did not address that at all.
Mr SPEAKERWhen members ask Ministers to express their views on something, there is no precise answer to that. I heard the Minister explain that the role of the director-general had not changed, and that that is one of the reasons—he was expressing his view—why people should not be concerned about the change. It was an absolutely fair answer to the question.
What is the Minister’s response to the view of ethnic leaders—for example, the Waitakere Indian Association—that the relocation of the Office of Ethnic Affairs sends the wrong signals about the importance and functions of the office at a time when the New Zealand population is diversifying significantly, and, therefore, the need for its services is increasing?
I thank those people who have made submissions through this process. That is an important part of hearing their concerns and any ideas that they have. I need to reassure the community that this will further strengthen the Office of Ethnic Affairs, and that member might be pleased to know that yesterday I was briefed by the director of the Office of Ethnic Affairs and I expect that to continue in the ongoing new working environment.
Will the Acting Minister of Ethnic Affairs in her new advocacy role for ethnic New Zealanders step in to protect the Office of Ethnic Affairs from being downgraded and marginalised; if not, why not?
I seek leave to table a document from the website of the Department of Internal Affairs on the organisational structure of the department, where it expresses the views of those who submitted.