Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

Ensuring mainstream policies and services are responsive to ethnic
communities
Ethnic communities sometimes report treatment by mainstream agencies that are dismissive
of them, which demean them and make them appear foolish. This happens when they are
accessing health, education and welfare services, in employment and when accessing
goods and services.
From time to time highly-qualified and experienced non-European migrants have been
subjected to heavy scrutiny regarding their qualifications and experiences. Many are
underemployed in fields that do not use their professional qualifications. They usually
experience humiliation when they are turned away from jobs for which they are highly
qualified because they do not have New Zealand experience.
Labour will develop a process, in partnership with ethnic communities, service
providers, educational institutions and employers, to ensure that services are
responsive to the needs of ethnic communities, are provided in an appropriate
manner and where their skills are appropriately acknowledged and utilised.
Participation in leadership roles
Currently ethnic groups are under-represented in governance and advisory roles. We would
like to hasten the pace of participation by ethnic communities in governance, leadership and
advisory roles.
Labour will ensure that appropriate members of ethnic communities are selected,
mentored and appointed to governance and advisory roles in organisations that
make decisions affecting communities, institutions and businesses.
Ensuring immigration policies are responsive to family and communal
aspects of settlement
The ethnic community relies on responsive immigration policies to facilitate their aspirations
for family reunification and family visitation. There is a balance to be achieved between
these and New Zealand‟s need for an appropriately qualified and competent work force.
Labour will, in consultation with ethnic communities and their representatives, ensure
that immigration policies are responsive to the family and communal aspects of
settlement (for example the need for priests, language teachers).
Labour will ensure that policies and practices do not place undue restrictions and
impose demands that effectively bar families from being together periodically for the
celebration of particular religious and cultural events.
218