Indian Newslink 15th May 2017 Digital Edition

The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999) 

Issue 369 | May 15, 2017 | Free 

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The fact that Priyanca 

Radhakrishnan 

has secured a high, 

winnable place 

on the Labour’s List of 

candidates announced on May 

2, 2017 and published almost 

immediately in our Web 

Edition and Social Media, was 

not news at all. 

That was a promise 

that Labour Party Leader 

Andrew Little had made to 

this newspaper during an 

interview in the office of the 

then Mt Roskill MP Phil Goff 

on February 9, 2015. 

And Ms Radhakrishnan has 

been ‘everyone’s favourite’ in 

the Labour Party. 

Our frontpage story in our 

SAME DAY CREDIT 

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Throwing people 

into prison for offences 

would alone not bring 

down crime and there is 

a need to engage in conversation 

with the offenders and help them. 

That is the view of Dr Kim 

Workman, a Social Justice 

advocate and a former Police-Officer-turned-Prison 

Reformer, 

with decades of experience in 

the field of law enforcement, and 

more importantly, in the field 

of prisoner management and 

rehabilitation. 

He has introduced restorative 

justice conferences into prisons 

with ex-prisoner Jackie Katounas. 

“Social Policy is formed in the 

absence of external dialogue. No 

government in the last 30 years 

has, in developing criminal justice 

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Unionists call for strikes on immigration policy 

Venkat Raman 


A 

fast-growing union movement 

is lobbying workers 

and employers to force the 

government to reverse its 

recently announced immigration policy 

with a higher income threshold for 

certain categories. 

‘Unite Union,’ which largely represents 

workers from the food industry 

supported two meetings last weekend 

(Saturday, May 13) in Auckland, one 

each at its office in Western Springs 

and the office of the Migrant Workers 

Venkat Raman 

Photo of a United Union Protest 

Andrew Little keeps two-year-old promise 

Priyanca Radhakrishnan gets high ranking 

Priyanca Radhakrishnan 

issue dated February 15, 2015 

quoted Mr Little as saying, 

“It is a pity that we do not 

have a person of Indian origin 

representing the Labour Party 

in Parliament. I propose to 

make amendments in the next 

general election and ensure that 

we have at least one Member 

of Parliament from one of the 

largest and fastest growing ethnic 

communities in New Zealand.” 

Mr Little was not the Party’s 

Leader when the Selection Committee 

finalised the Labour List for the 

general election held on September 

20, 2014. 

Priyanca Radhakrishnan, who 

has been a party worker and Deputy 

Chair of the Labour Electorate Committee 

in Wairarapa, was Number 23 

on the Party’s List, ‘too low’ to make 

it to the debating chamber. 

Mr Little and most other Labour 

Party MPs and leaders were keen 

on Ms Radhakrishnan becoming 

a Member of Parliament after the 

general election on September 23, 

2017. 

Ms Radhakrishnan has been 

writing for Indian Newslink for 

more than three years. 

Her latest column appears on Page 

6 of this issue. 

Association at Methodist Church in 

Papatoetoe. 

‘Unfair Policy’ 

SkyCity Employees Association 

Co-President Julia Liu who 

organised the first meeting, said 

that changes made to the Skilled 

Migrant Category (SMC) would 

harm a large number of working 

people. 

“The government has now 

increased the points required to 

get Permanent Residence under 

the skilled worker category and 

imposed a minimum income 

Venkat Raman 

requirement of over $48,859 that 

many will not be able to meet. 

Those who do not meet the new 

requirements will have a maximum 

of three years before they are 

kicked out. This is unfair,” she said. 

Unite Union National Director 

Mike Treen has taken the issue 

further by calling on ‘progressive-minded 

people’ to oppose the 

latest immigration rules. 

Amnesty in Canterbury 

“In its plan, the government has 

made a proposal for what they have 

called an ‘Amnesty’ for a group 

of workers in the South Island as 

a one-off pathway to residency for 

around 4000 temporary migrant 

workers and their families. Many 

of these workers will be working 

on Dairy farms run by National 

Party stalwarts who have lobbied 

their MPs to keep these workers. 

The ‘Amnesty’ being allowed to 

these workers from the requirement 

to meet the new points or income 

thresholds for permanent residence 

should be extended to the whole 

country,” Mr Treen said. 

Indifference to offenders breeds violence 

Dr Kim Workman 

policy, seen fit to consult with 

prisoners,” he said, speaking at 

the graduation ceremony at the 

Manawatu Campus of Massey 

University on May 10, 2017. 

The University awarded him 

an honorary Doctorate at the 

Ceremony held for graduates at 

the College of Humanities and 

Social Sciences. 

Government apathy 

“Unwillingness by the 

state to include prisoners in 

discussions about rehabilitation 

is one of the factors that has 

contributed to New Zealand’s 

dire crime statistics. As a result, 

we have developed a ‘criminology 

of the other,’ in which 

offenders are stereotyped 

as members of a dangerous 

under-class,” he said. 

Dr Walkman believes that 

there should be opportunity 

and space to talk within our 

own communities of interest, 

to raise consciousness, and 

plan for challenge and change. 

A more detailed report 

appears on Page 12 under 

Viewlink, along with our 

Editorial, “Remove the 

cause, not the symptoms.” 

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02 

Homelink 

MAY 15, 2017 

Do not blame the Police for rising crime - Winston Peters 

His address was mainly to 

owners, managers and 

staff of dairies, superettes, 

liquor stores, petrol 

stations and other retail shops that 

have been targets of attack, robbery, 

aggravated robbery and violence in 

recent months. 

The following is his Speech: 

Let us not beat around the bush 

here. We know the facts. Dairies are 

being robbed, owners and workers 

attacked, and terrified. 

We cannot blame the police. They 

are not responsible for having their 

resources capped in 2009, for their 

lack of frontline numbers, or for the 

propaganda fraud that “crime has 

been falling.” 

Police stations have closed, many 

right here in Auckland –30 since 

2009, including downtown Auckland, 

Grey Lynn, Mangere, Great South 

Road, Otahuhu, Pt Chevalier. 

Centralisation does not work. 

Cops on the beat do. 

Some basic facts 

In the 12 months to June 30, 2016, 

NZ’s population grew by 97,300. 

Immigration brought in a population 

of a city the size of Rotorua and 

most came to Auckland. 

New Zealand has one police officer 

for every 526 people. Australia has 

one officer for every 432 people. In 

2009, the New Zealand Police had 

3161 general duty constables – in 

2016 this had dropped to 2593. 

That is not keeping on top of 

crime. 

And crime has risen. Serious 

assaults resulting in injury were up 

7.3% in the 12 months to June 30, 

2016; public place assaults up by 

13.1% 

Burglaries in this city only have 

a 10% clearance rate. But as you 

know all sorts of violent holdups and 

robberies have beset your industry. 

Bigger target 

You became a bigger target when 

the government raised the price of 

cigarettes. 

Cigarettes and liquor are gold for 

idle youth who want easy money, 

often for drugs. 

You’re rightly fed up, and scared. 

Police say they are catching the 

culprits – they’re not. And those 

youngsters they do catch know 

that they will get the cotton wool 

treatment through the Youth Court. 

But none of that will make you feel 

better. 

Wrong move 

And worst of all, National has just 

raised the age for the Youth Court to 

18 supported by every other party in 

Parliament except New Zealand First. 

That’s how out of touch Parliament 

is. 

As many of you have said, those 

youngsters will rob us, and be back 

on the street to do it again in no time. 

Justice Minister Amy Adams said, 

“The vast majority of 17-year-old 

offenders are lower risk.” 

When did she have to stand behind 

the counter of a dairy and face a 

masked youth swinging a baseball 

Winston Peters 

bat, or worse? 

That is the voice of someone who does 

not know what is going on. 

The solutions 

The solution is to prevent these crimes 

occurring. 

We must stop making it easy for this 

group of young New Zealanders who are 

plain nasty and violent. 

Some might be from decent homes and 

got in with the wrong crowd. 

But many will have parents who do not 

care. Parents need to take responsibility too. 

We must send a clear signal. 

We will come down heavy on them when 

caught. That means they will face the full 

force of the District Court with its stiffer 

penalties. 

Do the crime, and you will pay 

for it. 

Patrols 

For you as dairy owners, New 

Zealand First will provide the 

security you need. 

Police patrols will be at your 

door regularly through the day 

and night. 

They will cover the city. 

We will make you feel safe in 

your shop. 

The greater presence of police 

on the streets will deter youth 

bent on crime. 

They are not brave. They will 

know when uniformed numbers 

stack up against them. 

More Police 

That means more police. 

We will get 1800 more 

frontline police quickly. (we got 

a thousand frontline more police 

between 2005 and 2008, and 235 

backup staff). 

As we have promised, so we 

keep our promises on law and 

order. 

In the coming campaign, we 

will tell you how we are going 

to do it. 

What this government has 

come out with, in response to our 

pledge for greater numbers, falls 

way short of the mark, and will 

barely help you. 

It is little more than a trickle of 

police. 

Over a third (36% or 313) out 

of their 880 new officers will not 

be chasing down or deterring 

criminals. 

116 officers will be required 

after the government raised the 

youth age of criminal responsibility; 

something New Zealand First 

opposed; 

80 are earmarked for the Organised 

Financial Crime Agency 

of New Zealand; 

66 will be required to work on 

family violence from 2018 after 

law changes; 

31 will be needed at the Royal 

New Zealand Police College to 

train new recruits (and they won’t 

be replaced until the financial 

year ending June 2021) 

20 are required to increase 

ethnic relations. 

That will not put Police out 

there in sufficient numbers to stop 

crime. 

New Zealand First policies and 

increased patrols will be out there 

in the face of potential offenders. 

You have got a right to go 

about your business safely. 

One party understands that. 

New Zealand First hears you. 

The following is a speech 

delivered by New Zealand First 

Party Leader Winston Peters 

at a meeting held at the Indian 

Association of New Zealand 

Hall, Papatoetoe, Auckland on 

Sunday, May 7, 2017 

The missing link 

in the long chain 

of robberies 

Bawa Arora 

Law and Order has 

become a subject 

of discussion in the 

media and among the 

public. 

I have been a resident of 

New Zealand for more than ten 

years now. 

My research tells me that 

the ethos of New Zealand is 

that of a classless nation where 

people who have the means 

support those who do not. It 

used to be a country where 

theories of social contract and 

communities and neighbours 

supporting each other were the 

norm rather than an exception. 

Modern life with its increasing 

professional demands is 

placing strains on our work life 

balance. This has over the years 

changed our views on how we 

connect with our neighbours 

as well as in our communities. 

The increasing role of social 

media in diminishing personal 

contact cannot be underestimated. 

The National Government 

The present government has 

been in office for about nine 

years. It was voted because of 

its promise to create jobs, lift 

economic growth and help us 

build on our Kiwi lifestyle. 

The economy has proven 

its resilience and managed 

natural disasters and the 

global financial crisis well. The 

fundamentals of our mixed 

economy are strong. 

Job creation has been one 

of the goals of the current 

government and get more and 

more New Zealanders into 

employment. 

Employment gives birth to 

goals and aspirations. 

These drive our ability to 

work harder and smarter as 

well as train for new skills or 

education. This has also meant 

that the government can use 

the money saved from paying 

income support to people 

towards providing public 

services. Again, based on the 

numbers, it appears that our 

government has had success in 

achieving its goal. 

Weakening family values 

However, despite the best of 

intentions there may not have 

been enough motivated people 

who want to start work and 

fulfill their aspirations for a 

better future for themselves and 

their families. 

It has resulted in a situation 

where people now want to live 

beyond their means. 

This directly relates to 

the fabric of family values 

weakening. 

The situation is being worsened 

because of our children 

participating in unlawful 

activities to satisfy their unfair 

wants. Hence the spike in 

robberies on shops that sell 

tobacco and liquor products. 

This brings us to the larger 

question – is there a buyer for 

these stolen goods? 

Without a buyer to pay 

for their loot, I doubt if these 

youngsters will risk their present 

and future to steal. Perhaps 

tracking buyers and holding 

them to equal account as we 

seek to hold the perpetrators 

of these crimes is one way of 

finding a resolution to our law 

and order problems. 

Our role as members of 

the community is neither to 

scaremonger nor to wash our 

dirty linen in public. We have 

to educate each other and work 

holistically with all agencies 

towards finding long term 

solutions to issues that impact 

our daily lives and most importantly 

our children’s future. 

Bawa Arora is an immigrant 

from India and has been in 

New Zealand on Permanent 

Resident status for more than 

10 years. Please read our 

editorial, ‘Remove the cause, 

not the symptoms’ under 

Viewlink. 

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Homelink 

03 

Promising prospects with Labour’s Team 2017 

Jacinda Arden 

I 

came into the New 

Zealand Parliament in 

2008 as a List Member of 

the Labour Party. 

That title might sound odd – 

but it is a reflection of a unique 

way in which we elect people 

in our democracy. 

In real terms, it was the 

equivalent of political boot 

camp. 

Vigorous Process 

There were speeches and 

presentations, question and 

answer sessions, and rounds 

of voting. It was a rigorous 

process, but that is exactly 

what people should expect 

when it comes to deciding who 

represents them in parliament. 

Fast forward a few years, 

and now I have moved from 

being a candidate on the list, 

to having a role in helping to 

select our Party List for the 

2017 General Election. 

I am very proud of our Party 

List. 

Parliament should reflect the 

population it represents. 

That means reflecting New 

Zealand’s rich and wonderful 

diversity, and a range of 

different backgrounds and 

skills sets. 

As a result of this careful 

consultation, the team that we 

have confirmed is a combination 

of our current strong 

caucus supported by a fresh 

group of candidates, about 

whom I am really excited 

to working with in the next 

Parliament. 


One of those candidates, is 

Priyanca Radhakrishnan who 

is the Labour candidate for 

Maungakiekie and is the first 

non-MP we placed on our list 

at number 11. 

I still remember the first 

time I met Priyanca. 

Pete Hodgson, a past Labour 

Minister, mentioned that he 

had met a young woman 

at Victoria University who 

he thought was incredibly 

impressive, and that he thought 

I should meet. I soon learnt 

about the work Priyanca had 

done as a Policy Advisor, on 

issues like domestic violence, 

and working with community 

organisations like Shakti. 

That was a few years ago 

now, and since then I have 

seen first-hand the experience 

that Priyanca has, as an 

advocate for some of the most 

vulnerable people in our 

community; and that is exactly 

what we need in Parliament. 

Willow-Jean Prime 

The talent on our list doesn’t 

stop there. Willow-Jean Prime, 

who is standing for Northland, 

has previously worked as 

a lawyer and is now in her 

second term on the Far North 

District Council. Willow-Jean 

has a strong background in 

law, advocacy and Maori and 

community development. 

Kiri Allan 

Then there is Kiri Allan 

our candidate for East Coast. 

I met Kiri many years ago as 

a volunteer, well before she 

started her impressive career 

as a commercial lawyer and 

business consultant based in 

Whakatane. She has incredible 

experience working in primary 

industries, something both she 

and Labour has championed 

as being vital to regional 

development. 

Jesse Pabla 

But it is both our list, as well 

as our local candidates, that 

showcase our talent. 

We have selected the best 

candidates possible in our 

local seats, like Jesse Pabla. 

Jesse is one of our youngest 

candidates, but is showing 

what a grass roots campaigner 

he is. Jesse is running in 

Papakura where his family 

has lived for 50 years, and is 

an electrical apprentice with 

the kind of passion for his 

community that I know will 

give people the confidence that 

he is there to serve the people. 

Goals and aspirations 

We have some very clear 

aspirations and goals this 

election. 

As Andrew Little recently 

said, “We need to fix the housing 

crisis, rebuild our health 

system and equip our schools 

to deliver the education parents 

and kids deserve.” 

Having plans like this are one 

part of the equation, we also 

need candidates to campaign 

on our fresh ideas, and we have 

that talent in spades. 

Along with Andrew. I am eager 

to get out on the campaign 

trail with my fellow candidates 

to tell New Zealanders the 

Labour story and our plans for 

the future. 

The exact make up of 

Parliament after September 

23, 2017 will be determined 

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04 

Homelink 


Foundation for Photography under focus 

Venkat Raman 


While smartphones 

have made people 

instant photographers, 

it is heartening to see an 

increasing number of residents in the 

Waikato region taking up to traditional 

photography, which has encouraged an 

internationally acclaimed photographer 

to establish a Foundation to create a 

veritable platform for enthusiasts to 

attain proficiency. 

Ashok Kochhar, who has been a regular 

contributor to our Artlink managed 

by our Assistant Editor Ratna Venkat 

since its creation in September 2015, 

believes that photography will thrive 

as a profession so long as the earth and 

its beautiful creations exist, both in the 

wild and in the society. 

Encouraged by the response that 

he has received in the wider Waikato 

region, specifically Hamilton, Rotorua 

and Cambridge, he is establishing 

a Foundation to develop a pool of 

photographers and promote creative 

photography. 

Creative Commune 

“It would be a self-sustaining entity 

working on the concept of a ‘Creative 

Commune,’ dedicated to promoting 

photography as an art and an avenue of 

expression for all age groups. As a true 

form of art, the vision of photography 

Ashok Kochhar at one of his Photography Workshops in Hamilton 

transcends all human barriers and 

unleashes them into a world of purity,” 

he said. 

Details of the Foundation will appear 

in these columns shortly. 

Kochhar is an artist, a visual expert 

and an esoteric personified. 

While his images leave the spectators 

gasping, his thought and expression stir 

the deepest emotions and cast a spell of 

magnificence hard to explain in words. 

Artist par excellence 

It is often said that only a painter in a 

photographer can create wondrous and 

exotic visuals. In about two decades (he 

started only in the late 1980s), Kochhar 

has worked for almost all major 

corporates in India. His engineering 

qualifications and background in 

Engineering brings into focus accuracy 

and sharp vision, both of which are 

important attributes to photography. 

Throughout his career, Kochhar has 

worked on high quality equipment, 

matching international standards. He 

is stated to be among a handful of photographers 

who use the best technology 

and techniques available globally. 

In a world that is increasingly 

becoming ‘selfies’ (curiously it rhymes 

with ‘selfish’), photographers such as 

Kochhar stand light years apart. He is 

a creative artist par excellence, with an 

eye for the unusual and a lens for the 

unclicked. 

He makes his subjects speak- it is not 

necessary that they should be humans, 

animals or birds. Even a leaf gets to 

convey a message. Many of these are 

a part of his ever-widening reservoir of 

talent and even imagination. 

The revival 

More than 300 people in Hamilton 

and surrounding areas have found 

Kochhar as their source of inspiration 

and motivation. Since January 16, 

2016, he has organised more than 35 

workshops at which they have learnt 

the nuances of photography, how 

to capture a subject with clarity and 

creativity within the frames of their 

cameras. 

These Workshops, conducted free of 

charge, have earned the appreciation 

of Hamilton Mayor Andrew King, 

Council officials, several community 

leaders and most importantly, people 

who want to grain proficiency in 

photography, reviving in the process its 

glory and importance. 

His penchant for Hamilton, which 

he calls ‘A City that has adopted 

me,’ inspired him to complete two 

major assignments for the Hamilton 

City Council. He photographed and 

documented the Waste Water Treatment 

A picture shot by a child as a part of ‘My World, My Vision’ 

Plant and Fresh Water Treatment Plant 

and offered them as a gift to the City. 

Sustained partnerships 

Indian Newslink prides itself in 

identifying and fostering sustained 

relationship with people who contribute 

to our communities and environs as a 

part of their social and community responsibility. 

It was in that spirit that we 

were drawn towards his amazing and 

amusing ‘500 Days in New Zealand,’ 

a journey that would take him around 

the country in as many days, capturing 

people in places, thereby creating a new 

world of humans with innate goodness. 

While this journey takes him back 

and forth from Hamilton where is 

based, his passion to share his expertise 

and experience at many photography 

clubs free of charge have earned him 

scores of friends and followers. 

My World, My Vision 

One of his most interesting and innovative 

initiatives is the launch of ‘My 

World, My Vision,’ a project exclusive 

for children, last year. 

He gifted 40 disposable cameras to 

twenty children aged between six and 

nine years, from all socio-economic 

backgrounds, asking them to give vent 

to their creativity, without external 

influence. The result was an array of 

photographs. 

Their pictures were the main exhibits 

at Creative Waikato, Hamilton from 

December 1 to December 13, 2016. 

This Year’s Project will be launched 

at the Ninth Annual Indian Newslink 

Sir Anand Satyanand Lecture on 

Monday, August 7, 2017 at Alexandra 

Park, details of which will appear in 

an ensuing edition. 

Ashok Kochhar (extreme right) with Prime Minister Bill English and National MPs Kanwaljit 

Singh Bakshi and Jami-Lee Ross at the launch of Electionlink pages of Indian Newslink on 

February 27, 2017 

Ashok Kochhar with Hamilton Mayor Andrew King and others at the exhibition at Creative Waikato 

on December 1, 2016 

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027 524 7877 

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027 5337745 

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027 397 0776 

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28E Lambie Drive, Manukau, NewZealand


National is the best for the nation 

says Kelston candidate 

Venkat Raman 


There is no alternative to 

the National government 

which has delivered strong 

growth with friendly 

policies for the past almost nine 

years, says the Party’s candidate in 

Kelston. 

Bala Beeram (aka Venugopal 

Reddy Beeram) knows that the 

West Auckland constituency is 

now a Labour stronghold but he is 

confident of winning the seat with 

strong campaigning and with the 

support of politicians, friends and 

volunteers. 

The ensuing general election on 

September 23, 2017 would only be 

the second time that Kelston would 

be featured as a constituency. 

Electorate History 

The Electoral Commission 

confirmed the creation of Kelston 

Constituency on April 17, 2014. The 

decision was based on increase in 

population in the Auckland region 

as recorded in Census 2013, to keep 

all electorates within 5% of their 

quota. In order to accommodate 

an extra electorate, the Electoral 

Commission abolished the erstwhile 

Waitakere Constituency and 

established two electorates, namely 

Kelston and Upper Harbour. While 

Carmel Sepuloni of Labour Party 

took the Kelston seat in the 2014 

general election, Paula Bennett of 

National won in the Upper Harbour 

electorate. 

Bala Beeram 

Ms Sepuloni registered an 

impressive performance, taking 

15,091 votes (50.90%), while 

National’s Chris Penk came second 

with only 9724 votes (32.80%). 

He has been chosen to contest the 

Helensville seat vacated by John 

Key who resigned from Parliament 

recently. 

Values in life 

Mr Beeram said that strong 

family values (he has a small 

family comprising his wife and 

teenage daughter), work culture 

(he is a Scientific Analyst at ‘Asure 

Quality,’ a leader in food safety 

and quality), community service 

and commitment to ethics and 

principles are the best attributes that 

he brings to politics. 

“Precision, honesty, responsibility 

and efficiency are crucial 

and central to my profession and 

I believe that these qualities are 

equally important in politics. There 

is no room for compromise because 

community safety is dependent on 

food safety. Similarly, the role of 

a Parliamentarian is significant to 

the country’s safety and growth,” 

he said. 

Community Service 

“I have been a resident of 

Kelston for the past 18 years with 

intense community involvement. I 

understand our people, their needs 

and aspirations. I communicate 

with them well and I pledge to 

carry their voice to Parliament and 

serve them,” he said. 

He said that as a former 

President and Executive Committee 

Member of the New Zealand 

Telugu Association, he has been 

involved with several community 

welfare projects including blood 

donation camps, tree-planting, 

sports events, fundraising for 

charitable causes and cultural 

programmes. 

He is currently the Manager of 

his daughter’s Netball Team. 

Political Engagement 

Mr Beeram said that he has been 

associated with the National Party 

since his arrival in New Zealand 

in 1999, he has been an active 

member for the past 11 years. 

“As well as enrolling hundreds 

of new Members, I have participated 

in the Party’s general election 

campaigns, which included meeting 

people in their homes, offices, 

shopping malls, events and other 

places. I understand the importance 

of connectivity. I am fortunate 

to have the support of my Party 

and teams of volunteers to help in 

Kelston,” he said. 

Electionlink 

05 

18–21 MAY 

2017 

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Kids 16 & 

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06 

Electionlink 


Parliamentarians should go beyond ethnic borders 


There has been much ado 

over representation in the 

mainstream media recently, 

especially since the Labour 

Party list was announced. 

The diversity debate lies simmering 

just beneath the surface, rearing its head 

during election years. 

Phrases like ‘Identity Politics’ are 

bandied about, while some call for 

ethnic representation. Others claim that 

merit is more important. 

Candidates should be there because 

they have earned it – as though one 

cannot be both competent and ‘ethnic’ 

and a woman, all at the same time. 

Equal Representation 

Labour’s Northland candidate, Willow-Jean 

Prime was spot on when she 

said, in reference to her list ranking, “I 

believe that I am there first for my skills 

and reputation and my proven ability to 

be a hard worker. If you look at my CV 

and qualifications and the work I have 

done I believe I am there on merit but 

I am also happy to be there to ensure 

that we have equal representation, 

and I am happy to be there as a Maori 

representative as well.” 

I feel the same. Calibre and competence 

have always been the bottom 

line when it comes to Labour candidate 

selections. 

However, there is also a need to 

ensure that our caucus reflects Aotearoa 

New Zealand’s population. 

Authorised by Mahesh Bindra, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 

Priyanca Radhakrishnan with Labour Party Leader Andrew Little (Centre) and Labour MP Stuart Nash at the launch of ‘Electionlink’ pages of Indian Newslink held at Raviz 

Restaurant in Botany Junction, Auckland on February 28, 2017. 

About 12% of the population 

identified as Asian in the 2013 Census 

and it is important that the highest 

decision-making body in the country 

reflects this diversity. 

Establishing Identity 

Every Member of Parliament (MP), 

whether an Electorate or List MP, must 

be able to engage with and represent 

different groups of people. 

That is a given, and that is partly 

why MPs like Phil Goff and Ross 

Robertson were incredibly popular in 

their ethnically diverse electorates. 

When Michael Wood was campaigning 

in the Mt Roskill electorate 

by-election to succeed Mr Goff, some 

political commentators said that his 

ethnicity was a potential barrier to 

his success, considering that a large 

percentage of the electorate is ‘ethnic.’ 

They were proven wrong. Michael 

Wood won in the by-election held on 

December 3, 2016 with a thumping 

majority, securing 66.51% (11623) of 

the votes polled. 

The role-models 

Why do we need ethnic representation? 

Firstly, role-modelling is important. 

Seeing is believing. 

Younger generations need role 

models who look and sound like them 

to know that it is possible. We stand on 

the shoulders of those who have gone 

before us. 

Secondly, the more diverse the 

Parliament is, the more experiences and 

contexts the House of Representatives 

would be able to represent. 

Finally, why should we not be at the 

table? 

New Zealanders from ethnic 

minority communities are as capable 

and competent as anyone else. We are 

not there just to tick the representation 

box; we are there because we have the 

same right as anyone else to participate 

in the political system and the capacity 

to be able to do justice. 

Beyond community 

I am often asked whether I will be a 

strong voice for Indians in Parliament. 

I firmly believe that all MPs are there 

Free Post-School education 

promises good times 

Labour’s Policy includes training and upskilling 

to serve New Zealand more broadly. 

However, we also bring with us 

different lived experiences, values, skills 

and world views. My work experience 

as a social worker, human rights 

advocate and policy analyst means that I 

bring specific skill sets to Parliament. 

My work, engaging with ethnic 

communities, means that I also bring 

a keen understanding of the needs, 

concerns, aspirations and hopes of these 

communities, including our Indian 

communities. 

Changing the narrative 

Late last year, I was selected by 

members of the Labour Party to be 

their candidate in the electorate of 

Maungakiekie - a seat that is winnable 

for Labour. 

I am running because the values, 

beliefs and principles on which I was 

brought up means that I am not afraid to 

fight for what is right. 

I also believe that I have the skills and 

experience to be an effective MP. 

I am also doing this because we need 

to change the narrative. Political parties 

across the spectrum have historically 

selected Pakeha candidates for safe and 

marginal seats. It is time to change that 

and I am proud that Labour is leading 

the charge on that front. 

Priyanca Radhakrishnan was born 

in India, educated in Singapore and 

New Zealand. She has been with the 

Labour Party for about 11 years in 

various capacities. She is the Party’s 

candidate in the Maungakiekie 

constituency in the general election 

scheduled to be held on Saturday, 

September 23, 2017. 

NEW ZEALAND FIRST LIST MP BASED IN AUCKLAND 

BINDRA 

MAHESH BINDRA 

Spokesperson for: Corrections, Ethnic Affairs, Customs, LINZ 

Auckland Office 

Level 1, 21 East Tamaki Road, Papatoetoe 

Auckland 2025 

P: 0800 BINDRA (246 372) 

E: mahesh.bindra@parliament.govt.nz nzfirst.org.nz 

Chris Hipkins 

The workforce in the 

future will need to train, 

retrain, and possibly 

retrain again. Anyone 

who cannot or is not given the 

opportunity to, risks being left 

behind. 

Something must change, 

and under the next Labour 

government, it will. 

Free post-school education 

Last year, Labour Leader 

Andrew Little announced our 

plan to introduce three years of 

free post-school education for all 

New Zealanders. 

We are not just talking about 

university. The three-year free 

plan will cover all forms of 

post-school education, including 

apprenticeships, trades training, 

polytechnic courses, and university 

undergraduate degrees. 

While some claim that it is too 

expensive, most New Zealanders 

know that we just cannot afford 

not to make this investment in 

our future. 

With forecasts suggesting that 

up to 45% of our current jobs will 

disappear within the next two 

decades, it is absolutely clear that 

we need to provide every New 

Zealander who has not yet had 

a shot at post-school education 

with that opportunity. 

Structured Programme 

The three year-free post 

education will be available to all 

school leavers, and it will also be 

available to those currently in the 

workforce who have not done 

any post-school study in the past. 

It will be phased in over time, 

and will certainly be cheaper than 

the tax cuts the current National 

government have planned. It’s a 

great investment in the future. 

As the age profile of our 

workforce changes, up-skilling is 

going to be more important than 

ever. 

Today there are roughly five 

working age New Zealanders for 

every person over 65. Over the 

next two decades that ratio will 

shrink to almost half. 

Given that the superannuation 

and healthcare for those over 65 

is paid from the taxes of those 

still working, it stands to reason 

that we need them to be doing 

well and earning good incomes. 

Skilled Staff 

Higher levels of education lead 

to higher incomes. That’s a fact. 

Higher incomes lead to a higher 

tax take by government. That is 

also a fact. 

Employers have consistently 

told us that the biggest issue they 

face in growing their business 

and improving productivity is 

the availability of skilled staff. 

That is what this policy will help 

address. 

Current tertiary education policy 

isn’t sustainable. Every year 

we lend more under the student 

loan scheme than we collect in 

repayments, and that’s after 25 

years of student borrowing. Total 

loan debt will shortly clock $15b 

and it’s still growing. The average 

amount borrowed per student 

also continues to climb as fees are 

ratcheted up every year. 

Removing inequities 

Labour will always focus 

on providing support to those 

who need extra help, but we are 

also committed to tackling the 

root causes of inequality and 

disadvantage. 

Access to quality, free education 

massively levels the playing 

field. Of course, we will invest 

in early childhood education and 

schooling too - watch this space. 

Just as the First Labour 

Government recognised that 

secondary education was needed 

by everyone, we have recognised 

that in today’s world, post-secondary 

education and training is 

essential. 

Up-front investment in free 

post-school education will create 

a stronger, more productive and 

inclusive economy. 

The initial outlay will be more 

than fully repaid. 

Whereas National wants to 

give the short-term sugar hit 

of tax cuts, we want to use that 

money to build a stronger future 

for all New Zealanders through 

this policy. 

Every New Zealander deserves 

the chance to better themselves 

and fulfil their hopes and dreams. 

This is about an investment in our 

future as a country. 

Chris Hipkins is an elected 

Member of Parliament from 

Rimutaka and Labour Party’s 

Spokesman for Education.


Electionlink 

07 

Quality migrants do not come in large numbers 

Kanwaljit 

Singh Bakshi 

New Zealand warmly 

welcomes all migrants, 

including those from India, 

regardless of whether they 

are here to work, study or visit. 

The Indian market is extremely 

important for us and we have recently 

seen an increase in the number of 

Indians choosing to come to New 

Zealand. 

And it is easy to see why – our 

economy is growing, lots of jobs are 

being created and we have a world 

class international education sector. 

Improving skills 

The changes announced last month 

are aimed at improving the skill 

composition of the Skilled Migrant 

Category (SMC) and ensuring that we 

attract migrants who bring economic 

benefits to New Zealand. 

The changes absolutely do not 

discriminate on the grounds of race or 

ethnicity. 

Introducing two remuneration 

thresholds will complement the 

current qualifications and occupation 

framework and help improve the 

overall quality of both our temporary 

and permanent migrants. 

The government acknowledges that 

the changes mean anyone earning less 

than the New Zealand median income 

of around $49,000 a year will no 

longer be classified as highly-skilled 

and therefore have no pathway to 

residence. 

No apology, please 

But we make no apology for this – 

immigration policy, under successive 

governments, has been about making 

medium-term settings and accepting 

that there are fluctuations in migration 

around that. And that’s why these 

changes are necessary. At a time when 

demand is growing, we need to ensure 

a) control around the number and 

skill mix of migrants that are coming 

here, b) clarity around the conditions 

under which migrants are coming, and 

c) that Kiwis are given first priority 

where there are jobs available. 

Wrong accusations 

I reject the assertion by some immigration 

advisors that Immigration New 

Zealand (INZ) has been mounting a 

campaign against Indian students. 

The government has zero tolerance 

against fraud and has invested heavily 

in intelligence gathering and verification 

support resources for immigration 

officers in India. 

Because of the complexity of the 

market and the high incidence of 

fraud, the student visa approval rates 

for India have traditionally been lower 

than elsewhere. 

But, as a result of the firm and 

decisive action taken to tackle fraud, 

we are now seeing an increase in the 

number of quality visa applications 

from students. 

For example, in the last six months, 

the approval rate for student visa 

applications decided in Mumbai for 

Indian students has risen to an average 

of around 70%. The number of applications 

has dropped because we have 

tackled the fraud and English language 

concerns, but while we are seeing 

fewer applications, they are of better 

quality and more are being approved. 

Practical Issues 

There are some practical issues 

around regulating offshore student 

agents that some scaremongering 

agents fail to mention and to go down 

this route could see New Zealand 

being disadvantaged as many of our 

competitor countries do not regulate 

them. 

It is important to note that 

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has 

been notifying all education providers 

in New Zealand when fraud has been 

identified in any application to study 

with them from Indian agents. 

This allows providers to review 

their relationships with agents who 

have at any time lodged an application 

with fraudulent documentation in it. 

As a consequence, the burden is on 

education providers to ensure that they 

are dealing with education agents of 

repute, as failure to do so may result 

in fewer international students being 

enrolled. 

INZ has also offered an agent 

vetting service for the Indian market 

for the last 12 months so that providers 

know the performance of the agents 

they wish to contract. 

In addition, any students who feel 

they have been misled by their agents 

are strongly encouraged to lodge 

complaints with the Indian Police. 

No commitment to PR 

Finally, I want to reiterate that any 

suggestion of a guaranteed pathway 

to residence for students is not a 

commitment that has been made by 

the New Zealand government. The 

INZ website makes it very clear to 

students that there is no guarantee 

whatsoever of them being able to 

transition onto work or resident visas. 

Instead, it details the options that may 

be available and the requirements that 

they would need to meet. 

As a Member of Parliament and as a 

migrant myself, I can write confidently 

that this National-led government 

values immigrants and cherishes the 

social, economic and cultural contributions 

that immigrants have made and 

continue to make to our country. 

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi has been 

Member of Parliament on the National 

Party List. He is also Chairman 

of the Parliamentary Select 

Committee for Law and Order and 

Parliamentary Private Secretary to 

the Police Minister. Please read our 

Editorial, ‘Immigration faucet needs 

safety valves’ under Viewlink. 

CALLING FOR ENTRIES AND NOMINATIONS 

TO THE 10th ANNUAL INDIAN NEWSLINK 

INDIAN BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 

Nomination Process: 

Direct by Entrants; Nominations for Individual Categories 

(10 to 14) by companies and individuals; Nominations 

by commercial banks and chartered accountants for 

companies and individuals with information prescribed in 

the entry forms available on the Awards website 

(www.inliba.com). 

Professional assistance, independent of Indian Newslink 

and the Panel of Judges is available to entrants, who should 

negotiate terms and fees directly. 

Contact Details: 

1. Georgia Saxon, The Awards Shop 

Mobile: 021-715479; Email: georgia@awardshop.co.nz; 

Website: www.awardshop.co.nz 

2. Manish Tanna, Vmindurbiz Services 

Mobile: 021-822772; Email: manish@vmindurbiz.com 

Website: vmindurbiz.com 

You’re invitedto 

A Pink Ribbon Breakfastwith 

PARMJEET PARMAR MP 

DATE 

WHEN 

WHERE 

Friday 19th May 2017 

7.30am –8.45am 

Alisha’s –Eatery &Catering, 

8A Carr Road, Mt Roskill 

RSVP 

Parmjeet.parmar@parliament.govt.nz 

or phone Parmjeet’s Mt Roskill office 

09 620 6707 

National is boosting Police staff numbers by 1125, including 

880 sworn officers, through our $503 million Safer 

Communities package. We are ensuring Police attend at 

least 98 per cent of all home burglaries within 48 hours. The 

package also provides $7.5 million for 20 ethnic liaison officers 

who will work with Indian and other ethnic communities and 

businesses to stop crime in these communities. 

RT HON BILL ENGLISH 

PRIME MINISTER 

Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160 | P 04 817 9999 

facebook.com/pmbillenglish | 

@pmbillenglish 

Paid for bythe ParliamentaryService and authorised 

by Parmjeet Parmar MP,Parliament Buildings,Wellington 

Funded by the Parliamentary Service and authorised by Rt Hon Bill English MP, Parliament, Wellington.

08 

Educationlink 

Connectivity, not cash, can solve truancy 

Ari Luecker 

According to the Programme 

of International Students Assessment 

(PISA), 42% of New 

Zealand students are skipping 

school at least once every two weeks. 

Why are children skipping school, 

and how do we engage students in the 

classroom and make sure they stay there? 

Brentin Mock, a staff writer at The 

Atlantic’s web magazine ‘CityLab,’ and a 

parent, suggests that paying students for 

showing up to class, using compensation 

rather than discipline to encourage students’ 

attendance. 

While it seems far-fetched, some of the 

ideas behind paying students to attend class 

are grounded in real concerns. 

Potential to help 

Mock argues that a universal attendance 

payment to students by the state has the 

potential to help children who are most at 

risk. 

Research shows that children who grow 

up in poverty are at increased risk of educational 

underachievement and antisocial 

behaviour, such as truancy. 

Providing fiscal compensation for 

education makes it available for those who 

need it most. Perhaps materially deprived 

families could pay for their child’s school 

lunches with the cash they got from 

attending school rather than having to go 

without, or use it on a club or extracurricular 

activity. 

However, this kind of payment is not 

a perfect solution, as it does not appeal to 

Cultural components improve Pasifika learning 

Staff Reporter 

info@indiannewslink.co.nz 

Teachers of intermediate-aged 

Pasifika students should include 

more cultural components as 

their teaching method to ensure 

that young adolescents stay engaged with 

learning throughout secondary school, an 

academician has said. 

Massey University PhD graduate 

(Education) Dr Alet van Vuuren, has 

explored factors facilitating better learning 

by Pacifica students at intermediate level in 

her recent study. 

Dr Vuuren is a Registered Psychologist 

at the Education Ministry. 

Dr Alet Van Vuuren 

Positive difference 

Her study showed the positive difference 

to student engagement when teachers 

include critical cultural content into 

classroom practices. 

“Despite considerable effort to improve 

student engagement, achievement and 

performance outcomes within the required 

inclusive educational contexts, a significant 

number of Pasifika students still leave 

school without any formal qualifications. 

Although 80% of Pasifika students stay at 

school until the age of seventeen, they do 

not necessarily achieve high enough qualifications 

to guide them into the workforce 

or tertiary education,” she said. 

Pasifika Education Researcher Associate 

Professor Bobbie Hunter and Special Education 

Expert Associate Professor Mandia 

Mentis (both from Massey’s Institute of 

Education) supervised the Study. 

Assessment Tool 

The Study generated a cultural assessment 

tool called ‘Feeding the Roots Model 

what really motivates students to change 

their behaviour. 

Financial needs 

Management theorist Frederick 

Herzberg proposed that lower order needs 

(physiological, safety) such as financial 

needs are associated with dissatisfaction, 

not motivation. 

So, we will complain about our low pay, 

but we will not necessarily work harder in 

order to prove we deserve more money. 

Individuals instead look to fulfilling 

their higher-level needs (social, esteem, 

self-actualisation) to motivate themselves. 

This implies giving students a salary 

may lead to fewer complaints about school 

but would not even motivate them to listen 

in the classes they are attending. 

Paying student may cause nominal 

truancy rates to go down, but educational 

attainment - students’ learning, responsiveness, 

engagement – will not improve. 

Recent childhood development research 

into personality and other character skills 

doesn’t support Mock’s claim either. 

It shows that these personal qualities 

play empirically important roles in shaping 

performance completely apart from the 

effects of incentives. 

Money, no solution 

More than payments, having a warm, 

supporting parent or mentor can transform 

lives. Money does not solve relational 

issues. 

We do not just want high schoolers to 

turn up to class, we want them to engage 

with the tools to succeed in their lives, 

through listening to their teachers, gaining 

academic qualifications, and developing 

‘ako,’ a Māori term describing a reciprocal 

“teaching and learning relationship” 

between student and teacher. 

of Pasifika Student Engagement.’ 

The objective is to help teachers understand 

the importance of acknowledging 

critical cultural components when engaging 

Pasifika students in learning. 

Dr Vuuren interviewed students, staff 

teacher aides, Resource Teachers of Learning 

and Behaviour (RTLB) and parents at a 

South Auckland intermediate school where 

52% of the students were from Pasifika 

backgrounds. 

Her study found that teachers who 

explicitly integrated cultural references, 

knowledge, language and learning styles 

(solving a problem as a group rather than 

focussing on the individual) achieved higher 

levels of Pasifika student engagement 


What really inspires students to attend 

school are things like challenging work, 

recognition for achievement, responsibility 

and involvement in decision making. 

Good Programmes 

The government is already doing 

some good work around this, with school 

programmes like “My Friends Youth” and 

“Check and Connect.” 

When a teenager wags school, it is not 

usually because they are strapped for cash. 

If we want children to be engaged 

in class, we should look to encourage 

mentoring, participative classrooms, 

and integration between work skills and 

traditional education. 

Money will not inspire disenfranchised 

teenagers to engage with education, but 

connection and challenge will do so. 

Ari Luecker is a Research Assistant at 

Maxim Institute, Auckland. 

in learning. Examples include; displaying 

student work in classroom to enhance 

a sense of belonging, allowing students 

to learn from within the context of their 

cultural experiences and identity, showing 

personal interest in students and their families, 

having high expectations of students, 

and encouraging them to collaborate with 

peers to problem-solve. 

Editor’s Note: The above is an extract of 

a detailed analysis that appeared in our 

Web Edition dated May 7, 2017. Dr Alet 

van Vuuren, graduated with a PhD in 

Education at the College of Humanities 

and Social Sciences ceremony in Auckland 

last fortnight.


Students get career options at Rams Academy 

Staff Reporter 

info@indiannewslink.co.nz 

Students from seven Auckland 

secondary schools attended Massey 

University’s second Rams 

Academy Holiday Programme in 

Albany, Auckland recently. 

Rams is an initiative from Massey’s 

Student Recruitment team designed to 

encourage students passionate about sport 

to explore the many opportunities available 

to them through university study. 

Student Recruitment Adviser Reti 

Simanu said that throughout the three-day 

programme, students participated in 

hands-on workshops on coaching, teaching 

physical education, food technology, 

nutrition, and sport psychology. 

Cook for Life Programme 

“We visited Harbour Sport and a World 

Masters Games football match at QBE 

Auckland students at the Rams Academy Holiday Programme 

last fortnight Picture Courtesy: Massey News 

Stadium. Nestle showcased its ‘Cook for Life Programme,’ 

at which students learned about nutritional values and got to 

cook meals for lunch. We are keen to help students discover 

more about their passion and show them, in the world of sport 

and exercise, you can study across a broad range of areas. 

You do not have to be an athlete to be involved in the sporting 

industry,” he said. 

Students from Green Bay High School, Kelston Boys High 

School, Mount Albert Grammar, Westlake Girls High School, 

St Dominic’s College, Epsom Girls Grammar and Long Bay 

College participated in the Holiday Programme. 

Diverse jobs 

Student Recruitment Advisor Andrew Wilson 

said that Rams enabled the participating students to 

examine a range of diverse careers. 

“These students are impressive as they are all 

currently playing sport and have a good base in the 

Sciences, which will help them get into our more 

science-based programmes like food technology, 

human nutrition and exercise and sport science,” he 

said. 

Associate Professor in Dietetics and Human 

Nutrition Rozanne Kruger is keen to support students 

and showcase how food, nutrition and sport are 

interlinked. 

“It is not only important to be physically active, 

but also to fuel your body with the correct combination 

of foods. The Nestle ‘Cook for Life Programme’ 

demonstrates this concept beautifully. Within our 

Dietetic programme we support the Cook for Life 

programme wholeheartedly, as our dietetic students 

are also participating in developing material for this 

programme,” she said. 

Higher income will benefit international students 

Grant McPherson 

The government announced 

changes last month, designed 

to better manage immigration 

and improve the long-term 

labour market contribution of temporary 

and permanent migration. 

These changes are part of necessary 

adjustments to New Zealand’s 

regulatory settings. 

The announcements included some 

changes to residency requirements 

which have generated a lot of 

commentary including on the impact 

for international education. 

The changes to residence under the 

Skilled Migrant category come into 

effect in August 2017. 

The proposals for temporary 

migrant work settings are going out 

for consultation before a final decision 

is made. 

SMC changes 

It is expected that the Skilled 

Migrant residency changes will have 

a short-term impact on international 

student recruitment, particularly 

for providers targeting students at 

below-degree-level qualifications, 

who are more likely to be affected by 

the changes. 

The recent announcements send a 

clear signal that permanent residence 

after three years of post-study work 

experience is not always a realistic 

expectation. 

The quality education experience 

itself should be the prime driver for 

considering New Zealand as a study 

destination. 

The new residence criteria include 

remuneration thresholds. 

Rise in threshold 

It is worth noting that, in the recently 

published Moving Places study 

by Education Ministry more than 

half of the international students with 

postgraduate qualifications earned 

above the proposed threshold three 

years after completing their study. 

In the longer term, we hope that 

the new remuneration thresholds will 

incentivise students to study in fields 

of study more closely aligned to skill 

shortages, thereby increasing the value 

for New Zealand as well as supporting 

better labour market outcomes. 

Regulatory settings are under 

constant review, and Education New 

Zealand will continue to work closely 

with our partners across government 

in all of these areas. 

Grant McPherson is Chief Executive 

of Education New Zealand. 

The above statement appeared 

on the official website earlier this 

month. Picture Courtesy: Education 

Journal, Middle East 

Educationlink 

09 

Te Akitai Waiohua linkage 

with Otahuhu in focus 

Akitai Waiohua representative Matua David Wilson 

Takaanini (or Takanini) will explain the link 

between his iwi Te Akitai Waiohua and Otahuhu 

at a Lecture on May 25, 2017 in Mullins Room, 

Otahuhu Library, 28 Mason Avenue, Otahuhu, Auckland. 

Called, ‘Toia Talks,’ this is a free quarterly public lecture 

series aimed at “convening community leaders, social activators, 

and change-makers to share stories and offer solutions for 

a better world.” 

An initiative of Otahuhu Library, it was launched in September 

last year with the blessings of Kaumatua David. 

Previous speakers include music producer, Anonymouz 

(Matthew Faiumu Salapu) and film makers and historian, Paul 

Janman and Scott Hamilton. 

The Otahuhu waka portage is of considerable cultural 

and ancestral significance to Maori. It is regarded as having 

significance not only to the Tainui people, but also to the iwi of 

Tamaki Makaurau (Metropolis Auckland). 

Toia, which refers to the dragging of the canoes along the 

portage, was named by Te Akitai Waiohua, with support from 

Ngati Whatua o Orakei and Ngati Te Ata. 

The following are some Maori phrases with English 

meaning relevant to the upcoming Lecture: 

A toia mai: Drag it here 

Te waka: The canoe 

Ki te urunga: To the entry 

Ki te moenga: To the berth 

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10 

Fijilink 


Girmityas are best remembered by connectivity 

138 years on, we remember our forebears 

Venkat Raman 


Sir Anand Satyanand 

Since 2000, the Indian 

government has adopted a new 

approach towards people of 

Indian origin living in many 

countries of the world. 

There are between 20 million and 

30 million of these people, some who 

have been born and lived in India 

before migrating - those who are called 

Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). 

Then there are those who have never 

lived in India but whose parents or 

grandparents and more may have come 

from there, who wish to maintain the 

connection. These people are termed 

People of Indian Origin (PIOs). 

Over the past decade or more, the 

Indian government has developed 

means of encouraging these Indians 

to visit the mother country as tourists, 

to seek out ways of connecting with 

where they were from, to appraise the 

new India and its capability and to 

consider investment and even Overseas 

Citizenship of India (OCI). 

The Challenge 

There is a challenge for a group 

to be acknowledged, that is those of 

Indian origin, who despite the years 

of advancement are still in struggling 

circumstances. 

A number of us are able to afford to 

travel from our respective countries to 

India. But there are many who are not 

in that position. They also need our 

The world has perhaps never 

seen a community of people 

who have forever been chased 

by ill luck and misfortune, 

like the Indo-Fijians have been all these 

years. 

Girmitiyas, as they were called, 

suffered the worst effects of bonded 

labour, racism and inhuman treatment. 

Since they landed 138 years ago 

unbeknown of what was in store for 

them, history has witnessed the rule of 

diabolism and a parade of unacceptable 

events that have had a telling impact 

not only on the actual sufferers but also 

on their ensuing generations. 

A majority of Indo-Fijians, despite 

their façade of happiness amidst plenty 

and prosperity, continue to endure 

the scars of the past. And as if they 

One Nation, One People 

were not born to enjoy equity, they 

continued to suffer indignity and 

indifference under various regimes 

even Fiji obtained independence from 

the British on October 10, 1970. 

The coups and after 

Two coups in 1987 and one 2000 

were developments that shook the confidence 

of most Indo-Fijians and tens 

of thousands of them fled to Australia, 

Canada, New Zealand, UK and US, in 

search of a new home and life. 

Almost all of them have succeeded 

as engineers, medical practitioners, 

entrepreneurs, professionals and 

retailers; those who have not, are a 

small band of people who have been 

either unlucky like their ancestors or 

too lethargic even to try. 

It is the former who have held the 

interest of governments and people 

wherever they went in their search for 

a new life and identity. 

Those people will remember with 

gratitude the sacrifices of their ancestors 

and vow to strive hard to fulfil their 

aspirations. 

It is these Indo-Fijians, who will do 

their ancestors proud, if they were alive 

today. 

From a practical standpoint, the 

feeling of hope and confidence that the 

Indian community in Fiji has reposed 

in Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe 

Bainimarama is understandable. For, 

India-Fijians have been marginalised all 

their life and it is only since December 

6, 2006 that they have begun to feel 

secure and recognised. 

New Energy 

The future is therefore characterised 

by enthusiasm and new-found energy 

with equality of citizenship, employment 

and commercial opportunity. 

Fiji can look forward to regaining its 

glory with the slogan, “Fiji, the way the 

World should be.’ 

Media under siege throws democracy into jeopardy 

Dr Biman Prasad 

An NFP Government will 

repeal the Media Industry 

Development Decree 

because we believe that the 

media should not be regulated in any 

way by the State or any government. 

An NFP Government will also (a) 

Ensure taxpayer funds are justifiably 

used by spreading advertisements 

by Government and Statutory 

organisations across all media outlets 

Sir Anand & Lady Susan Satyanand with the organisers of the Indian Diaspora World 

Convention in Chaguanas, Trinidad & Tobago 

The Commemorative Stone at Saith Park in Chaguanas, Trinidad & Tobago 

consideration and attention. 

I quote here the pen of a man 

regarded by many in the Pacific as the 

pre-eminent historian and writer about 

Girmityas, Professor Brij Lal, Emeritus 

Professor of The Australian National 

University and an Honorary Professor 

of the University of Queensland. 

He is a Fellow of the Australian 

Humanities Academy, an Officer of 

and end the exclusivity enjoyed by 

one newspaper as is currently the case 

(b) Ensure funding for Public Service 

Broadcast for all mainstream broadcast 

and television media and not exclusive 

to Fiji Broadcasting Commission (c) 

Ensure Fiji Airways provides both daily 

newspapers to its passengers instead of 

providing only Fiji Sun 

Victims of bias 

NFP upholds and promotes media 

freedom at all times despite falling 

victim to biased and unfair reporting by 

some media outlets. We do not blame 

the journalists but those leading those 

organisations using exclusive access 

to taxpayer’s funds to trumpet only 

government’s view. 

the Order of Fiji and a Member of the 

Order of Australia. He has published 

widely on the history of Indian indenture 

and on the history and culture of 

the Indian diaspora. Among his many 

books is Chalo Jahaji: On a journey of 

indenture in Fiji (Suva: Fiji Museum, 

2000). 

The Girmitya Balance 

Professor Lal has written of a need 

We once again call upon Fiji Television 

Limited to re-instate journalist 

Shanal Sivan to the Fiji TV newsroom. 

Mr Sivan was removed from the Fiji 

TV newsroom by the Group CEO of 

Fijian Holdings Limited for amplifying 

the voice of ordinary citizens who 

expressed their disappointment over 

Government’s broken promises. 

Sinking to new lows 

This is the kind of State interference 

in newsrooms through management 

of news organisations that has seen 

Fiji ranked the lowest of Pacific Island 

nations of Samoa, Tonga and Papua 

New Guinea, in a recent report released 

by Reporters Without Borders. 

Generally, the media industry in this 

Sir Anand $ Lady Susan Satyanand with community leaders in Trinidad & Tobago 

for balance in the Girmitya discourse, 

expressed the following terms: - “Girmit 

history is…. in the danger of passing 

from the domain of reasoned discourse 

into the realm of heritage studies, as a 

subject for veneration and reverence. 

Once derided as damaged people, flotsam 

and jetsam of humanity, Girmityas 

are now portrayed as men and women 

who were noble and courageous, 

without blemish or blame, victims of 

unremitting, systematic violence (some 

of it perpetrated by Indians themselves: 

sirdars, the lynchpin of the system, were 

Indian). 

The fundamental truth 

“To characterise them as people 

who participated in the making of their 

own history, who had agency, who 

had all the faults and foibles of the 

normal human character, is to risk being 

labelled heartless and condescending. 

The new popular narrative brooks no 

debate, no criticism. Minds are made 

country has been under siege since the 

military coup of December 2006. The 

last eight years, especially after the 

abrogation of the 1997 Constitution 

on April 10, 2009, have been turbulent 

and devastating for journalists and the 

media industry. 

While the promulgation of the 

‘Media Industry Development Decree 

in 2010’ ended State’s presence in 

the newsrooms and direct censorship, 

self-censorship is being practiced 

in most newsrooms with journalists 

awaiting responses from government 

before publishing and broadcasting any 

statement by the Opposition. 

Cosmetic changes 

Only cosmetic changes were made 

up; they should not be confused with 

facts. This won’t do. We should also 

resist the temptation to turn the story of 

Girmit into a serviceable ideology of 

grief and grievance deployed for various 

political purposes. Girmityas are gone. 

We honour their memory but we must 

steadfastly continue the search for the 

fundamental truth of their experience. 

We owe them at least that much.” 

Sir Anand Satyanand is former 

Governor-General of New Zealand. 

The above is a highly-edited version 

of his address to the delegates at the 

Indian Diaspora World Convention 

held at Chaguanas, Trinidad and 

Tobago on March 17, 2017. The full 

text appears in our Web Edition: 


The four-day Convention commemorated 

the 100th Anniversary of 

the end of Indentureship of labourers 

from India to various parts of the 

world. 

Fiji has grappled with political and 

economic issues with greater dexterity 

than was originally envisaged. In essence, 

the country is re-emerging as a 

leader among the smaller South Pacific 

nations with a firm economic agenda 

that will deliver its people into a new 

era of prosperity. 

The former regimes, with three 

devastating coups witnessed political 

fallout, taking the country back by a 

few decades. 

But the bona fides of Mr 

Bainimarama were manifest in the gradual 

re-emergence of Fiji as a popular 

destination for tourists, investors and 

businesses. 

It is in everyone’s interest that 

Fiji does well as a democratic country 

with political, economic and social 

reforms that would guarantee its future 

prosperity. 

to the Decree in July 2015 with fines 

against journalists removed but heavy 

penalties against Editors, Publishers 

and the media organisations remain like 

a noose around one’s neck. 

The Media Industry Development 

Decree is regressive and suppresses 

Media Freedom. 

A free, fair and unregulated media 

is absolutely vital for true and genuine 

democracy as well to amplify the 

voices of not only Government but also 

the Opposition, without fear. 

Dr Biman Prasad is elected Member 

of Parliament and Leader of the 

National Federation Party in Fiji.


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12 Viewlink 

The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999) 

Issue 369 | May 15, 2017 

Immigration faucet needs safety valves 

It is unfortunate that Immigration 

is becoming an emotional issue of 

supporting the migration of families 

and friends rather than a policy that 

drives to bring the best of talents and 

people who will be effective economic 

partners. 

Worse, it is also being mentioned as 

the only alternative to get ‘labourers to 

do jobs that in which New Zealanders 

are no longer interested.’ 

Immigration should be a process that 

brings skills and drives them to become 

successful residents, begetting the next 

generation of skilled people. 

That is how countries that are constituted 

by immigrants have progressed 

over the past century or so. And New 

Zealand has been a part of that process. 

Indians abroad 

People in India would know that 

young graduates left their shores 

from the 1940s through to the 1970s 

primarily to obtain high qualifications 

such as scientists, engineers, medical 

practitioners. Some of them returned 

home to become proficient in their 

professions; those who remained 

overseas (mainly in the USA, UK and 

later in Canada and Europe) pursued 

research with state or private funding 

not available in India at that time. They 

became innovators and wealth creators 

in organisations such as space research 

centres, institutes of Engineering, 

Medicine and Research and lately as 

software developers accentuating digital 

technology. Multinationals have thrived 

because of the human capital developed 

through migrant workforce- with high 

degrees obtained at internationally 

reputed institutions. 

Remove the cause not the symptoms 

The recent outbreak of robbery, 

aggravated robbery with 

increasing incidents of violence 

against dairies, superettes, 

liquor stores and petrol stations in 

Auckland and other places around the 

country has caused public outrage. 

The owners and staff in this retail 

business feel threatened and all of them 

have called for harsh punishment to be 

meted out to the perpetrators. “Lock 

them up, and throw away the key,” most 

of them have said, while yet others have 

proposed to ‘defend themselves with 

‘weapons’ including arms. 

We do not condone thefts, robberies, 

bag-snatching and such offences. In fact, 

we condemn them in the strongest terms 

and would like to see the offenders 

paying for their crimes. All of us have 

the right to be safe and importantly, right 

to feel safe. 

Getting to the root 

But there is a greater need to get to 

the root of the problem, find out why 

these young people take to crime and 

what makes them reticent to punitive 

measures. In most cases, the offenders 

suffer from some loneliness, desperation, 

neglect by parents and caregivers, 

unhealthy habits learnt from formative 

years, unemployment and worst of all 

depression and frustration. These are 

people who need help. 

Social Justice advocate Dr Kim 

Workman has done extensive research 

on the subject and he believes that 

Creating the Talent Pool 

If New Zealand is to be on a par with 

developed countries of the world, it 

should then create a pool of talent – a 

pool that rises continuously to promote 

higher levels of economic growth 

and achieve higher standard of living. 

We need to reinforce our country as a 

significant region of advanced research, 

quality scientific, engineering, medical 

and business practices so that our people 

can raise the future generations with 

greater pride and satisfaction. 

Immigration will continue to drive 

the population and therefore the 

progress of this country. But that process 

of immigration should be directed 

by tenets of quality, education, high 

standards of character and competence. 

Quite simply, we have to lift the game to 

be world-class partners competing with 

the likes of America and Europe. 

Opening the floodgates of 

immigration may be music to those who 

are advantaged by it, but as people, we 

should be able to control it to suit our 

needs over time. 

Skillful management of immigration 

flow, with checks and controls in place, 

will ensure that New Zealand receives 

high quality people. 

Mere slogans and citing Human 

Rights would not do. Immigration 

Lawyers and Immigration advisors 

should be able to advise the government 

on sustainable and need-based policies. 

Every country in the Western World 

is raising the walls of immigration and 

introducing levies to filter the number 

and type of people seeking to migrate. 

It may not come as a surprise if New 

Zealand follows suit. 

governments have failed because they 

have forgotten to bring into the equation 

the most important partners – the perpetrators 

or offenders. He has argued, in 

the article alongside, as to how engaging 

with prisoners would help reduce crime. 

Unlikely outcomes 

Prisons are good for punishing 

criminals and keeping them off the 

street, but prison sentences (particularly 

long sentences) are unlikely to deter 

future crime. 

Economists have long suspected that 

those who commit crimes place less 

value on the future than law-abiding 

citizens. But they have mostly struggled 

to find hard evidence that criminals 

think about sentence lengths at all. 

Research Pointers 

A review by Steven Durlauf of the 

University of Wisconsin and Daniel 

Nagin at Carnegie Mellon University 

found little evidence that criminals 

responded to harsher sentencing, and 

much stronger evidence that increasing 

the certainty of punishment deterred 

crime. This matters for policy, as it 

suggests that locking vast numbers of 

people in jail is not only expensive, but 

useless as a deterrent, they said. 

As Dr Walkman said, we need 

opportunity and space to talk within our 

own communities of interest, to raise 

consciousness, and plan for challenge 

and change. We should also create 

places to listen to ‘communities of the 

other’, to challenge our own attitudes. 

Indian Newslink is published by Indian Newslink Limited from its offices located at Level 

1, Number 166, Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland 2013 and printed at Horton Media 

Limited, Auckland. All material appearing here and on our web editions are the copyright 

of Indian Newslink and reproduction in full or part in any medium is prohibited. Indian 

Newslink and its management and staff do not accept any responsibility for the claims 

made in advertisements. 

Managing Director & Publisher: Jacob Mannothra; Editor & General Manager: Venkat 

Raman; 

Production Manager: Mahes Perera; Assistant Editor: Ratna Venkat; 

Financial Controller: Uma Venkatram CA; Phone: (09) 5336377 Email: info@indiannewslink.co.nz 

Websites: www.indiannewslink.co.nz; www.inliba.com; www.inlisa.com 

Why governments fail 

to arrest rising crime 

Sourced Content 

Massey University 

Palmerston North 

Unwillingness by the state to 

include prisoners in discussions 

about rehabilitation 

is one of the factors that 

has contributed to New Zealand’s dire 

crime statistics, says leading social 

justice advocate Dr Kim Workman. 

He was awarded an Honorary 

Doctorate at a Massey University 

Manawatū campus graduation ceremony 

on May 10, 2017. 

Dr Workman said in his speech to 

College of Humanities and Social 

Sciences graduates that social policy 

is formed “in the absence of external 

dialogue. No government in the last 

30 years has, in developing criminal 

justice policy, seen fit to consult with 

prisoners.” 

Stereotyping offenders 

“As a result, we have developed a 

‘criminology of the other,’ in which 

offenders are stereotyped as members 

of a dangerous under-class.” 

A former Police Officer-turned 

Prison Reformer, Dr Workman has 

introduced restorative justice conferences 

into prisons over the last decade, 

together with ex-prisoner Jackie 

Katounas. Now 76, he says his work is 

far from done. 

Dr Workman began studying sociology 

part-time by distance at Massey 

University in 1972 and obtained his 

Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983. He 

studied Business Administration at 

Stanford University and completed a 

Postgraduate Diploma in Religious 

Studies from Victoria University, which 

awarded him an Honorary Doctorate 

last year. 

In his graduation speech on May 

10, he recalled his early introduction 

to questioning the status quo and 

acknowledged Distinguished Professor 

Paul Spoonley, who, he said, recently 

asked his students: “‘What does it 

mean to be a New Zealander in the 

21st century?’ He then continued, ‘The 

question is the same as in the 1970s 

and 1980s, but the answer is going to 

be different.’” 

“I came to Massey University in 

1974, seeking an answer to that very 

question. As a Senior Sergeant of 

Police, and a Maori, I found myself 

caught between the competing factions 

of the decade – issues such as race relations, 

the anti-war movement, Maori 

development and women’s rights. 

It was a decade of active listening, 

debate, reflection, and the occasional 

sound of a penny dropping,” he said. 

Turning Point 

A turning point came in 1983 when 

he decided to take a final paper in 

Women’s Studies, finding himself the 

only male among 68 students, many of 

whom did not want him there. 

“They (women students) needed the 

opportunity to talk freely with other 

women, to share their experiences, and 

understand the oppression in their own 

lives. The lecturer declined to grant me 

an exemption, and I stayed for the full 

three days. I made myself invisible, 

and listened as women debated and 

discussed their place in society, and the 

way in which women were routinely 

patronised and treated as less important 

than men, by society, politicians and 

the media. It caused me to reflect on 

my personal attitude toward my wife 

and daughters, on police reluctance to 

intervene in cases of domestic violence, 

and the lack of women in senior 

management. It was quite a learning 

curve,” he said. 

The great lessons 

The experience taught him two 

things. “First, we need opportunity and 

space to talk within our own communities 

of interest, to raise consciousness, 

and plan for challenge and change. 

Second, that we need to create places to 

listen to ‘communities of the other’, in 

order to constantly challenge our own 

attitudes.” 

Government must be more innovative, 

he said. This might mean taking 

risks – introducing effective approaches 

to rehabilitation may conflict with 

the political and public emphasis on 

punishment. 

“The current resistance to the 

establishment of Kaupapa Maori 

prisons is a case in point. The success 

of Kaupapa Maori education and health 

services would suggest that a Kaupapa 

Maori prison might stand a better 

chance of success than what currently 

exists, given the poor reoffending rates 

currently achieved,” he said. 

Interesting career 

Dr Workman, (Ngāti Kahungunu, 

Rangitaane), grew up in Greytown with 

his Pakeha mother, Maori father and 

three sisters. Despite failing School 


Dr Kim Workman, who received an Honorary Doctorate at Massey University on May 10. 

Certificate twice, he joined the Police 

as a cadet – his first encounter with the 

criminal justice system. 

His career has included roles in the 

Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, 

State Services Commission, 

Department of Maori Affairs and 

Ministry of Health. He was Head of 

the Prison Service from 1989 to 1993. 

He was appointed National Director, 

Prison Fellowship New Zealand in 

2000, and retired from that position 

in 2008. The fellowship established 

the first faith-based prison unit in the 

British Commonwealth, a mentoring 

programme for released prisoners, and 

was the principal provider of in-prison 

restorative justice services. 

Honours and Awards 

In 2005, Dr Workman received (with 

Jackie Katounas) the International Prize 

for Restorative Justice. In 2006, he 

joined with Major Campbell Roberts 

of the Salvation Army to launch the 

Rethinking Crime and Punishment 

Strategy and the establishment of 

Justspeak, a non-partisan network of 

young people speaking up for a new 

generation of thinkers who want change 

in the criminal justice system. He was 

made a Companion of the Queens Service 

Order in 2007, served a three-year 

term as Families Commissioner from 

2008 to 2011 and was a semi-finalist for 

the ‘Kiwibank New Zealander of the 

Year Award’ in 2013. 

He is currently writing a book, ‘The 

Criminal Justice System: The State 

and Maori, from 1985 to the Present,’ 

following which he plans to complete 

his memoir, ‘An Imperfect Justice.’ The 

father of six, grandfather of ten, and 

great-grandfather of three is also learning 

to play classical piano, following a 

lifetime of playing jazz. 

Read more about Dr Kim Workman 

on his website www.kiwa.org.nz 

Please read our editorial, ‘Remove 

the cause, not the symptoms’ in this 

Section 

Private Member Bill on new-borns in Parliament 

Dr Parmjeet 

Parmar 

A 

Private Member’s Bill by 

National MP Dr Parmjeet 

Parmar was drawn from 

the Ballot in New Zealand 

Parliament on May 11, 2017. 

The following is a statement issued 

by her: 

The ‘New-Born Enrolment with 

General Practice Bill’ would require all 

new-borns to be enrolled with a general 

practice and primary health organisation 

before his or her first immunisation 

at six weeks of age. 

Improved access 

Enrolment with a general practice 

provides families with improved access 

to immunisation for their new-borns, 

and the opportunity for earlier detection 

of health and social issues. 

It is important that our children 

receive the best start in life, and the 

government is working hard to provide 

high-quality health services for Kiwi 

families. 

Our immunisation programme is 

already protecting thousands of young 

babies from potentially life-threatening 

illnesses. 

We have also introduced free GP 

visits and prescriptions for all children 

under 13, as well as free after-hours 

services. 

My bill will ensure more children 

and families can benefit from these 

services. 

Dr Parmjeet Parmar has been a 

Member of Parliament on National 

List since September 2014.


Businesslink 

13 

Real-life stories on good governance and challenges 

Lyn Provost 

Transparency, openness and 

honesty are key traits of 

excellence in business and 

government. New Zealand’s 

transparency ranks very well in most 

global surveys but we cannot be 

complacent. 

(As the Guest Speaker at the Seventh 

Annual Indian Newslink Sir Anand 

Satyanand Lecture to be held on August 

7, 2017 at Alexandra Park, Greenlane, 

Auckland), I will reflect on this taonga, 

drawing on my wide experience as 

Controller and Auditor General, Deputy 

Police Commissioner and a public 

servant. I will make comparisons from 

my global experience, particularly to 

our neighbouring Pacific countries. 

Performance Reporting 

As a Chartered Accountant, in my 

opinion, high quality financial and 

performance reporting are key elements 

of transparency and a vital tool for good 

governance. 

But they are not enough on their 

own. 

This Lecture will cover my 

reflections on other important features 

of governance. 

One such feature is the ethical 

standards and integrity expected of 

governors, including the example they 

set for those around them. 

Obviously, my career has been 

devoted to upholding the highest 

standards of integrity and dealing with 

Indian Newslink 

Sir Anand 

Satyanand 

Lecture 2017 

takes shape 

those who fall short of those standards. 

Virtues of Auditing 

You would expect an ex-Auditor 

General to expound the virtues of 

auditing. 

I will, not just from a New Zealand 

perspective, but also as a new member 

of the International Auditing and 

Assurance Standards Board. 

It might be more interesting than you 

expect! 

This lecture will make use of a 

range of real life stories bringing to 

life transparency, governance and our 

future challenges. 

Lyn Provost retired as Controller 

& Auditor General of New Zealand 

on January 31, 2017. She will be 

the Guest Speaker at the Seventh 

Annual Indian Newslink Sir Anand 

Satyanand Lecture on Monday, 

August 7, 2017 at Alexandra Park, 

Greenlane, Auckland. Medtech 

Global Executive Chairman Vino 

Ramayah will be the Master of Ceremonies 

with Nirvana Health Group 

Director Ranjna Patel providing 

‘Perspectives’ and former Member of 

Parliament Dr Rajen Prasad offering 

his ‘Reflections’ on the proceedings. 

Former MP Dr Rajen Prasad, Nirvana Heath Group Director Ranjna Patel and Medtech Executive 

Chairman Vino Ramayah will also provide their take on accountability and transparency based on 

their own professional experience in government and private sector at our Annual Lecture. 

(File Picture by Creative Photography) 

The following was filed by Indian 

Newslink Editor. 

If there was one good effect of 

the Global Financial Crisis, it was 

the awakening of governments, top 

managements of large companies and 

organisations (such as airlines and 

banks) whose failure would have varied 

ramifications. 

Since the Crisis revealed widespread 

flaws in corporate governance, shareholders 

have flexed their muscles more 

often. There has been public outrage 

over high executive pay, while regulatory 

reforms have given shareholders 

greater power and the media has placed 

more scrutiny on how they use it. 

All this has created a climate where 

even the most profitable companies can 

be targets of activism if their corporate 

governance is not up to scratch. 

Evolving Asia 

The context for corporate 

governance in Asia is evolving, with 

firms becoming subject to greater 

pressure from shareholders, who 

demand increased transparency and 

accurate information about financial 

performance, ownership, incentives and 

accountability. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 

and his Liberal Democratic Party recently 

drew up Corporate Governance 

rules for hundreds of Japanese firms 

and their shareholders, the first of their 

kind in Japan. 

Following the formation of the ASE- 

AN Economic Community at the end 

of 2015, South-east Asian companies 

will also need to demonstrate good 

governance to lure investors to new 

opportunities in the region. 

Questions for Corporates 

Law enforcement agencies such 

as the Accountant General, Auditor 

General, Inland Revenue, Financial 

Markets Authority, Central Banks and 

others need to monitor market movements 

and performance of corporates. 

They need to ask a number of questions 

for their effective functioning. 

They are: (a) To what extent do investors 

now demand more accountability 

from the companies in which they invest? 

(b) Socially responsible investing: 

How are investors’ expectations shaping 

corporate governance in the region? (c) 

Should corporate governance follow 

models developed in Western countries, 

or should Asia develop its own? (d) 

How is the changing economic climate 

affecting risk management? And (e) 

Has the regulatory climate changed 

significantly since 2008? 

Economic integration in ASEAN 

will offer new challenges as well as 

opportunities. Given this precarious 

environment, risk is constantly an important 

topic in the boardroom. Changes 

in corporate governance that are afoot 

in Asia only reinforce this. Several of 

the region’s globally minded firms are 

increasing transparency and accountability 

as they boost their balance sheets 

abroad. Increasingly, businesses are 

aware that post-crisis and in an era of 

shareholder activism, even the most 

profitable companies can become targets 

if their corporate governance is not up 

to scratch. 

Tickets to the Seventh Annual Indian 

Newslink Sir Anand Satyanand Lecture, 

priced at $150 plus GST per person 

and $1500 plus GST for a Table of 

ten persons, are now available. Please 

call (09) 5336377 or 021-836528; 

Email: editor @indiannewslink.co.nz 

The cost includes Cocktails and 

Networking, Dinner and Lecture.

14 

Businesslink 


Real Estate lingo can be daunting 

Lucy Corry 

Every industry is full of 

jargon and buzzwords that 

make no sense to anyone 

who’s not part of the club. 

Real estate is no different, which 

means it can be hard to get up to 

speed. 

Here is a handy guide to some of 

the most common terms you will 

come across when buying or selling 

property. 

Agency agreement: If you are using 

a licensed real estate agent to sell 

your property, you’ll need to sign 

one of these agreements - it sets out 

what the agent will do and what 

they will be paid. Remember you 

can negotiate the conditions, such 

as who pays for marketing and how 

much the commission is. Make sure 

you get legal advice before you sign, 

because it is a binding document. 

BEO or BBO: This stands for 

‘Buyer Enquiry Over’ or ‘Buyer 

Budget Over,’ which means that 

price listed on the advertisement 

indicates the minimum that the seller 

will accept. The seller needs to give 

serious consideration to any offer 

over the BEO, so this figure needs to 

be selected carefully. 

Deadline Sale or Deadline Private 

Treaty: In this kind of sale, a property 

is marketed for a set period (with 

an advertised end date). The seller 

can choose to accept an offer at any 

stage during the listing period though 

it may be stated in the advertising 

that ‘no offer will be accepted prior’. 

Check the fine print. 

Dalinghaus Construction 

LIM: This stands for Land 

Information Memorandum, which 

contains everything that the local 

council knows about the property, 

such as any issues with drainage 

and plumbing, erosion or permits. 

It will help you identify if any 

additions have not got the right 

consent. A LIM will also record 

any unpaid rates. 

Sale and purchase agreement: 

This is a legally binding contract 

between the buyer and seller for 

the purchase/sale of a property. It 

provides certainty to both parties 

and it sets out in writing all the 

agreed terms and conditions. It is 

essential to get legal advice before 

you sign an agreement – and that 

you read and understand what it 

means. 

Settlement: This is the end goal 

in a property transaction, when 

the sale and purchase is completed 

by the exchange of property and 

payment. Settlement occurs when 

the seller receives the money for 

the sale – the buyer will not receive 

the keys until this happens. 

RV: This stands for ‘Rateable 

Value’ – this is a value used to 

calculate local body rates. It should 

not be assumed to be a market 

value for a property when it is 

for sale as the rating valuation 

may be a number of years old. 

It is also not responsive to local 

market fluctuations and may not 

reflect any recent renovations to a 

property. This was formerly known 

as ‘Government Value,’ or GV. 

Tender: If a property is for sale 

by tender, prospective buyers must 

submit confidential written offers 

by a set date. Usually there is no 

minimum price, but properties are 

often listed with a BEO or BBO 

price. The seller can then choose 

the offer that is most acceptable 

to them, based on the price and 

any attached conditions. The most 

attractive tender is likely to be one 

that combines a good price with 

few conditions. Sellers are allowed 

to negotiate with any one or more 

of the tenderers received after 

tenders close. 

For more advice about buying 

a property, check out the REAA’s 

free guide at buyingahome.reaa. 

govt.nz. 

Lucy Corry is Media Communications 

Manager at the Real Estate 

Agents Authority based in Wellington. 

For more free and independent 

advice on buying a property, please 

access the Home Buyers’ Guide at 

buyingahome.reaa.govt.nz. 

If you still have questions, call 

the Real Estate Agents Authority 

(REAA) on 0800-3677322 or 04- 

4718930 from a mobile phone. 

John Key to join 

Air New Zealand 

board 

New Zealand Newswire 

Former Prime Minister John Key is joining 

Air New Zealand’s board of directors 

in his first post-parliamentary job. 

Air New Zealand Chairman Tony 

Carter said that Mr Key would be a director of 

the airline from September 1. 

“When John Key announced that he was 

stepping down as Prime Minister and moving 

to a new phase of life outside of politics, it 

became a priority for the board to try to secure 

his services as a director. He will bring extensive 

international commercial experience, outstanding 

leadership skills, global perspective and a keen 

understanding of the tourism sector,” he said. 

In a statement, Mr Key said he had been 

approached to join the board. 

“I look forward to working with the board, 

Chief Executive Officer and his executive team 

to see the company fulfil its potential,” he said. 

Air New Zealand’s longest-serving director, 

Paul Bingham, is stepping down. 

Mr Key resigned as Prime Minister suddenly 

last year and left Parliament officially in March 

2017 but had been quiet about his plans for life 

after Parliament. 

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Ramadan Special 

15 

Ramadan Mubarak 

Wishing youand your 

familyablessed Ramadan. 

Westpacare proudtohelp NewZealand’s Muslim 

communities, customers and people grow. 

WestpacNew Zealand Limited.

16 

Ramadan Special 


Fraternal bond, peace and goodwill 

Hazim Arafeh 

Assalaamu Alaikum 

Wa Rahmatullahi Wa 

Barakatoh 

(Peace and Blessings Be Upon 

All of You). 

On this occasion of the Holy 

Month of Ramadan, I wish to 

express my heartiest Ramadan 

Kareem Mubarak to the Muslim 

community in New Zealand. 

Blessings not limited to fasting 

Venkat Raman 


Muslims living in various 

parts of the world will 

observe daylight fasting 

as the Holy Month of Ramadan 

commences on May 25, 2017 

(estimated). 

To more than 1.5 billion people 

who belong to the world’s fastest 

growing religion, Ramadan marks 

a period of piety, abstinence and 

self-denial. 

This is also a period during 

which every Muslim is urged to 

realise the plight of the poor and 

the needy and understand the 

sufferings of those who go without 

the basic needs of life throughout 

Holy Day precedes the Holy Month 

Venkat Raman 


While the Holy Quran 

teaches every Muslim to 

be pious, honest, pursue 

peace and offer help and support 

to the needy, there are a number of 

festivals and religious observances 

that reinforce these tenets of Islam. 

The Holy Month of Ramadan, 

which preaches abstinence, is one 

such. 

However, Muslims also 

observe Shab-E-Barat with great 

significance. 

Occurring on the 15th night of 

the Month of Shabaan, approximately 

as many days before the 

As we prepare to welcome the 

Holy Month, we thank and praise 

Allah Almighty for blessing us with 

many things and offering us yet 

another opportunity to fast in this 

blessed month, perform pious deeds 

and to receive more of His Mercy 

and Bounty. 

For Muslims all over the world, 

the Holy Month of Ramadan is 

of very special importance. It is 

observed throughout the world with 

all sanctity and reverence that it 

demands. 

Positive Month 

Ramadan is not only a time for 

worship, reflection and brotherhood, 

but also one that should encourage 

us to have care and compassion; 

inculcating patience, perseverance 

the year.Thousands of Muslims 

in New Zealand would observe 

the tenets of the Holy Month and 

participate in prayers, Iftar and 

other Ramadan related gatherings. 

Divine Favour 

An Islamic scholar said the 

blessings of Ramadan were not 

limited to fasting because the 

performance of all sorts of worship 

and good deeds during this month 

is also a source of great Divine 

favour. 

“The revelation of the Holy 

Quran commenced during this 

month and it is therefore the duty 

of every Muslim to read and try 

to understand the meaning of the 

Holy Book and thereby gain an 

advent of Ramadan, this is an 

occasion for Muslims to pray to 

Almighty Allah, seek forgiveness 

for their acts of omission and 

commission and promote goodwill 

and understanding with fellow 

beings thereafter. 

This is essentially a night of introspection, 

which true believers in 

Islam undertake with their brothers 

and sisters in the community. 

The spirit of Shab-E-Barat 

rests on the belief that those who 

unconditionally surrender to God 

and seek orderliness in their lives 

would be among the truly blessed. 

For, Allah is the Most Benevolent 

and the Most Merciful, who 

and everything good – all positive 

qualities that will, Insha Allah, 

transform ourselves, our families 

and our communities to be better. 

Since its inception, the Federation 

of Islamic Associations in New 

Zealand (FIANZ), as an umbrella 

organisation for the Muslim community 

in New Zealand, has grown 

from strength to strength. 

FIANZ is unique in its multi-faceted 

responsibilities. 

It also forms an integral part of 

New Zealand’s multi-million-dollar 

Halal meat export trade vital to 

New Zealand’s primary production 

export industry. 

Hazim Arafeh is President of the 

Federation of Islamic Associations 

of New Zealand. 

insight into the Divine secrets 

enshrined therein. It brings peace 

and illumination to the mind and 

imparts purity to the soul,” he said. 

Islamic countries in general 

and Arab Gulf States in particular 

would undergo a transformation 

during the Holy Month, with 

nighttime utilised for lectures, 

Holy Quran reading or family and 

social get-together. 

Iftar ‘dinner’ is common in most 

countries with people of other 

religious faiths invited to join 

Muslims after dusk. 

These gatherings also serve to 

foster goodwill and friendship 

which is central to Islam. 

forgives the misdeeds of those who 

honestly repent for their misdeeds 

and woe not to repeat them. 

Prophet Mohammed (Peace 

Be Upon Him) is reported to 

have emphasised the importance 

of penance and the need for men 

and women to realise the power 

of prayer and significance of the 

Islamic faith. 

“People are not aware of the excellence 

of the month of Shabaan, 

which occurs between Rajab 

and Ramadan. In this month, the 

actions of the people are presented 

to Almighty Allah. I wish my 

actions are presented whilst I am 

fasting,” he said. 

Holy Quran brings faith and piety 

According to the Muslim 

faith, it was during Ramadan, 

the ninth month of 

the Muslim calendar that the Holy 

Quran, the sacred book, “was sent 

down from heaven, guidance unto 

men, a declaration of direction and 

a means of Salvation.” 

This is also the time of the year 

when Muslims concentrate on their 

faith and spend less time on the 

concerns of their everyday lives. In 

the Arab world, governments, philanthropists, 

welfare organisations 

and community groups offer alms. 

The Red Crescent Society 

The Red Crescent Society (The 

International Red Cross is so called 

in these areas) offers rice, wheat, 

vegetables and fruits and other 

essentials to the needy. 

“Fasting is one way of 

realising the true state of hunger 

and the Holy Month is devoted 

to understanding the sufferings 

of some sections of the society. 

Abstinence from pleasures of life 

(all entertainment and night club 

activities are suspended during 

the Month, even after dusk) 

including sex with spouses helps 

Muslims to concentrate on the 

teachings of Islam,” a religious 

leader said. 

At the end of the day the fast is 

broken with prayer and a meal called 

the Iftar. 

In the evening following the Iftar 

it is customary for Muslims to go out 

visiting family and friends. The fast 

is resumed the next morning. 

It is also customary for commercial 

and industrial undertakings in the 

Arab world to host special dinners 

after Iftar for staff and clients, at least 

once during the Holy Month. 

Pregnant women, children, those 

in poor health and suffering from 

certain types of ailments including 

diabetes are exempt from fasting, in 

addition to Muslims travelling overseas. 

But many travellers do observe 

the fasting hours, irrespective of their 

schedules. 

THE FEDERATIONOFISLAMIC ASSOCIATIONS OF NEW ZEALAND 

FIANZ is the national Body caringfor the religious, social and cultural needs of the Muslim community of New Zealand. 

In addition, FIANZ is the Halal Authentication Authority for meat exports from New Zealand and for domestic 

markets including retail food outlets, takeaways and restaurants. 

The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand 

Ground Floor 7-11 Queens Drive (Beneath the Wellington Islamic Centre) Lyall Bay, Wellington. POBox 14155 Kilbirnie, Wellington 6241 

Ph: (04) 387 8023 | Fax: (04) 387 8024 |Email: finaz@vodafone.co.nz |Web: www.fianz.co.nz 

Greetings on the occasion of the Holy Month of 

Mt Roskill Islamic ust 

Masjid ‘e Umar Tr 

185 Stoddard Road 

Mt Roskill, Auckland 

EID SALAAT 8.15 am 

Wishing you a 

RAMADAN 

MUBARAK 

Wishing youashower of 

Blessings 

in the holy month of Ramadan 

We provide tailor-madesolutionstoindividual migrantsand their families 

seeking to study, work,invest,dobusiness and live in NewZealand permanently 

Like us on“Facebook www.facebook.com/ImmigrationAdvice 

: 

EID SALAAT: 8.00 am 

Onehunga Islamic Trust 

140 Church Street 

Onehunga, Auckland 

Level1-166 Harris Road, 

East Tamaki, Auckland 

Baitul Mukarram Islamic Centre 

(Roskill South Islamic Centre) 

1484 B Dominion Road, Mt Roskill 

Entrance -Rear Carpark 

behind Younus Halal Meats 

09 272 4424 

021 144 6641 

admin@ianzl.co.nz 

www.immigrationadvicenz.com 

INLM&S30052016001


Ramadan special 

17 

Ramadan Mubarak. 

Wishing all our customers 

and staff a blessed Ramadan.

18 

Businesslink 


“Double standards impede engagement with India” 

Amitabh Kant expresses National disappointment 

Venkat Raman 


Advanced countries of the 

world continue to underestimate 

India’s capacity 

to stand on its own on 

economic and fiscal matters, and 

continue to baffle with their double 

standards on international trade and 

investment, a top official of the Indian 

government has said. 

Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive 

of the National Institution for Transforming 

India (NITI), an ambitious 

autonomous organisation established 

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to 

lead the charge of making the world’s 

largest democracy the world’s most 

dynamic country, said that globalisation 

has been used by ‘these countries’ 

for their selfish interests. 

Globalisation dressing 

“The approach is underscored by 

hypocrisy. On the one hand, they 

speak of globalisation which implies 

free movement of trade, services, 

investment and people, while on 

the other, they apply protectionist 

measures when it comes to bilateral 

trade. Such double standards are 

India’s interests,” he said during a long 

interview with Indian Newslink in 

Auckland on May 4, 2017. 

He stopped short of naming New 

Zealand, which has been locked into a 

debate with India on the ten-years-on, 

inconclusive and impossible Free 

Trade Agreement (FTA) but the 

implication was evident. 

“New Zealand can benefit by participating 

in India’s Services Sector, 

which has been fully liberalised. 

We would welcome New Zealand 

to be our partner in modernising 

and expanding our infrastructure, 

education, health and other areas. 

There are no restrictions on Foreign 

Direct Investment (FDI). We have the 

presence and participation of almost 

all major multinationals in India. The 

New Zealand government and Kiwi 

companies should realise that India is 

the place to be in the next three years,” 

he said. 

Amitabh Kant speaking at the dinner hosted 

by Foreign Affairs & Trade Ministry and India 

New Zealand Business Council in Auckland 

on May 3 

Bankruptcy Law 

Mr Kant said that the Bankruptcy 

Law, now in place, is an important 

phase in the development of the Indian 

corporate world. 

“The Statute will facilitate ease of 

business, with robust systems and 

procedures,” he said. 

India’s Lok Sabha (Lower House 

of Parliament) passed the Insolvency 

and Bankruptcy Code 2016 on May 

12, 2016. The move could turn one of 

the slowest insolvency regimes of any 

major economy into one of the fastest. 

The reform will give banks a clear 

path to wresting control of insolvent 

companies unable to repay their debts. 

Economists in India see this as a 

breakthrough that will allow banks to 

recover their dues in a timely manner, 

in contrast to the earlier system in 

which they often waged protracted legal 

battles to recover what they were owed. 

The reform came at a time of heightened 

focus on the bad debts weighing 

down India’s banking system, amid the 

bitter battle by state banks to collect on 

about US$1.3 billion of debt left by the 

collapse of industrialist Vijay Mallya’s 

now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. 

Exciting Times 

According to Mr Kant, India is 

at an exciting stage of growth and 

development with several economic 

and commercial reforms in place. 

He cited the enforcement of GST 

(eliminating all state taxes, excise duties, 

octroi and such other charges), increased 

energy output, relocation of silicon-valley 

companies from the USA and start-up 

of thousands of others, massive 

urbanisation, heighted phase of high-end 

technology, research and many other 

innovative enterprises. Most sectors, 

which were hitherto a close preserve 

of the central government – such as 

Railways and Defence – are now open to 

private sector investment, he said. 

“India will be the only country to have 

a comprehensive biometric technology 

to integrate all state services within the 

next two years. Communication will 

be at its optimum level with more than 

one billion mobile phones in use. Trade, 

Amitabh Kant with Prime Minister Bill English in 

Wellington on May 2 

commerce, in fact, all transactions will be 

based on digital technology. Last year’s 

demonetisation (of Rs 1000 and Rs 

500 currency notes) has encouraged an 

upsurge in online and card transactions. 

We are fast moving to a stage of cashless 

society,” he said. 

Dynamic bureaucrat 

A Civil Servant of the Indian Administrative 

Service (IAS) of the Kerala 

Cadre, Mr Kant’s creative thinking and 

penchant to make India the ‘Country of 

Amitabh Kant with his wife Ranjeeta in New 

Zealand in Waiheke Island on May 4 

the Century’ attracted the attention of 

Mr Modi, who has an innate ability to 

recognise and embrace talent. 

South Block (which accommodates 

the Prime Minister’s Office) sources 

often say that Mr Kant’s thinking 

and planning are well matched by his 

ability to execute the process. Stated to 

be intolerant to those who fail to rise 

to his expectations, he is the architect 

who gives life to the dreams of his 

political boss. 

Some of the projects and 

programmes that have lifted India’s 

profile nationally and internationally 

are ‘Make In India,’ ‘Startup India,’ 

‘Incredible India,’ and ‘God’s Own 

Country.’ His campaign ‘Atithi Devo 

Bhavah’ (Guest is God) steered almost 

everyone involved in the hospitality 

and tourism industry including 

immigration officials, hoteliers, tour 

operators, tour guides and taxi drivers 

to make tourists, international visitors 

and others enjoy Indian hospitality at 

its best. 

Official Meetings 

Mr Kant was in New Zealand as a 

guest of the New Zealand government 

fulfilling his role as the Fellow of the 

‘Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for 

India and Nepal’ this year. 

During his week-long stay, he met 

Prime Minister Bill English, Foreign 

Minister Murry McCully, other 

Ministers, Members of Parliament, 

India’s High Commissioner Sanjiv 

Kohli, business and community leaders. 

He addressed a dinner meeting of the 

India New Zealand Business Council 

and a breakfast meeting of the India 

Trade Alliance, both jointly hosted by 

the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry. 

He also visited several places of 

tourist interest. He was accompanied 

by his wife Ranjeeta, an accomplished 

painter. 

About Sir Edmund Hillary 

Fellowship 

“It is a great honour to be the 

‘Fellow of the Sir Edmund Hillary 

Fellowship of India and Nepal’ of the 

New Zealand government. Sir Edmund 

cemented Indo-Kiwi relations and I am 

delighted to visit this beautiful country. 

Despite differences in some areas, I am 

confident that we can work together for 

the betterment of the peoples of the two 

countries.,” Mr Kant said. 

The Sir Hillary Fellowship for 

India and Nepal was established by 

the Labour Government in September 

2008 and announced by then Prime 

Minister Helen Clark on September 10, 

2008, the day then Governor General 

Sir Anand Satyanand met then Indian 

President Pratibha Patil during his first 

official visit to India. 

“One visit under the Fellowship will 

take place to New Zealand each year 

and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

and Trade will oversee the selection of 

Fellows,” Ms Clark had said. 

Indian National Congress Party 

Leader Rahul Gandhi was the first 

recipient of the Fellowship and 

visited New Zealand in that capacity on 

February 14, 2010. 

Vijay Mallya, Chairman of the 

defunct King Fisher Airlines, who is 

facing extradition proceedings in a British 

Court was appointed as the Fellow 

in 2011 but did not fulfil the Fellowship 

requirements. It was in fact an insult to 

the New Zealand government and New 

Zealanders. 

Crisis brings the best out of female executives 

Venkat Raman 


The ‘Glass Cliff Syndrome’ 

influences Corporate New 

Zealand, a research study has 

revealed. 

‘Glass Cliff’ is a term coined by two 

professors from Exeter University to 

describe the phenomenon of women 

and those from minority groups being 

more likely to achieve leadership roles 

during periods of crisis, when the 

chance of failure is highest. 

Massey University MBA graduate 

Kam Sharma said that women and people 

from minority ethnic backgrounds 

were more likely to become Chief 

Executives than white men when a 

firm is going through a period of weak 

performance. 

The revelation 

His conclusion was based on an analysis 

of the circumstances leading to the 

promotion of ‘occupational minorities’ 

to the role of Chief Executive in NZX 

50 companies over a 12-year period. 

Mr Sharma found that there were 59 

Chief Executive transitions at NZX 50 

companies and that only four of these 

transitions led to a Chief Executive 

Kam Sharrma 

from an occupational minority. Of 

these, there were two clear examples 

of the Chief Executive taking the helm 

during a period of crisis. 

“There is no doubt that when Ralph 

Norris took over Air New Zealand it 

was in dire straits – it had announced 

a $1.4 billion operating loss in 2001 

following the collapse of Ansett. Similarly, 

for Vicki Salmon, taking on the 

top job at New Zealand’s only listed 

fast-food company Restaurant Brands 

was effectively a hospital pass because 

of a historic lack of investment,” he 

said. 

Existing bias 

According to Mr Sharma, there 

could be an existing bias that suggests 

that women and ethnic minority 

leaders will bring a more collaborative 

approach at a time when that is needed. 

Or it could be that occupational minorities 

feel they should take leadership 

opportunities when they are offered, 

even if there is a higher risk of failure. 

“Good interpersonal skills are 

valued when you have to make difficult 

personnel decisions in struggling 

organisations, and hence the stereotype 

that women and ethnic minority men 

are better at that sort of thing is seen as 

compensation for other qualities they 

are assumed to lack,” Mr Sharma said. 

“The pool of potential Chief Executives 

willing to take on a struggling 

business is smaller and hence occupational 

minority Chief Executives who 

take over in these circumstances have a 

very difficult job to do that others do not 

want. They are often not well supported 

and, if they are not successful, the 

existing biases are reconfirmed,” he 

added. 

Concluding Issue 

Acknowledging that the small number 

of transitions in his study makes it 

hard to draw strong conclusions, Mr 

Sharma said that was reflection of the 

barriers that women and those from 

minority ethnic backgrounds face in 

reaching the top levels of management. 

“During the period of my study there 

were only seven occupational minority 

Chief Executives – two were already 

Chief Executives of their companies 

when the NZX 50 index was established 

in 2003, and were subsequently replaced 

by ‘traditional’ Chief Executives. 

The third was Rod Drury, Chief Executives 

of Xero, who founded his own 

company. Only four new occupational 

minority CEOs were promoted over the 

12 years of the study – and all of them 

have since been replaced by traditional 

chief executives. Rod Drury is currently 

the sole occupational minority Chief 

Executive leading a NZX 50 company – 

so you could argue that the trend is not 

improving,” Mr Sharma said. 

He said that with only one Maori 

male Chief Executive and no female 

Chief Executives leading an NZX 50 

company at present, it is clear there is 

a tendency to “think manager, think 

male.” 

“Because the numbers are so small, 

it is hard to know exactly what is going 

on inside organisations. We need more 

research at all levels of management 

to better understand the point at which 

occupational minorities, despite their 

capability and hard work, are failing to 

break through. If women and people 

of ethnic minorities are not coming 

through the ranks, they are not in the 

talent pool being considered for the top 

jobs,” Mr Sharma said.


The past can leave an indelible 

impression. One such 

impression worth keeping 

was Swami Swaroopananda’ 

s first ever visit to Auckland as the 

Spiritual Head of the Chinmaya 

Mission Worldwide. 

He conducted morning talks and 

free public talks in the evening during 

his six-day stay from April 23 to April 

28, 2017. 

Communitylink 

Cultural values should synchronise with the ibid society 

Ragavan 

Rengachariar 

People living away from 

their countries of their birth 

should make the best of both 

worlds by preserving and 

promoting their traditional values 

while integrating with the resident 

communities, a renowned Scholar and 

Vedanta Teacher has said. 

Swami Swaroopananda, Spiritual 

Head of Chinmaya Missions 

Worldwide and a direct disciple of 

Swami Chinmayananda said that the 

essence of human life is ‘true living,’ 

a concept that allows others also to 

live happily. 

That encapsulated the theme 

of ‘Best of Both Worlds,’ bearing 

relevance to people of Indian origin 

(including people of the Hindu faith) 

living in New Zealand, considered 

an advanced country of the Western 

World. 

He was speaking at a special meeting 

held at the Chinmaya Mission 

located in the South Auckland suburb 

of Mangere on April 23. 

Prevailing Confusion 

Swami Swaroopananda referred 

to the ‘confusion’ perceived by the 

youngsters as well as most parents as 

to how best one can live in a modern 

Western society without forfeiting 

traditional cultural living standards. 

The specific question is, “Our parents 

brought us to the Western culture but 

want us to follow Indian culture- is this 

possible?” 

Questions of this nature began when 

Indians started migrating to various 

countries around the world, at each 

of which they try to make an ethnic 

identity. 

It is noteworthy that people maintaining 

their ethnic identity and merging 

with the local culture have been able to 

shine better. 

Swami Swaroopananda said that 

confusion arises when ‘lifestyle’ is 

misunderstood and misinterpreted as 

‘culture.’ 

Harmonious living 

“Sanskruthi is a Sanskrit word that 

transforms you into a refined human 

being. This ‘Indian culture’ is very 

clearly distinct from the loosely used 

terms like ‘corporate culture,’ ‘drug 

culture,’ and other expressions. This is 

not really culture but a way of life or 

lifestyle,” he said. 

If culture improves our lifestyle or if 

the lifestyle is conducive with culture, 

there would then be harmony,” he 

added. 

Swami Swaroopananda said that Materialistic 

lifestyle and Spiritual culture 

are not antithetical to each other. 

“Our scriptures including the Bhagavad 

Gita and Upanishads say that our 

material pursuits are not in conflict with 

our spiritual growth. There is therefore 

no need to give away our material pursuits 

in search of spiritual life. A person 

could be materially successful with 

wealth, prosperity and other financial 

assets and have harmony, peace, unity 

and inner growth and contribute to the 

growth of the society, he said. 

Success without stress 

Swami Swaroopananda quoted the 

Ishovasya Upanishad (the shortest 

Upanishad) featured as the final chapter 

in the ‘Shukla Yajurveda’ as saying that 

“If we have the right values in our work 

and family, then it is peace and harmony 

with prosperity and spirituality. It is 

like achieving success without stress,” 

he said. 

He said that stress has become 

commonplace in today’s world and that 

it has become the price of success. 

People have a notion that one cannot 

be successful without being stressed. 

Can we have family life and at the 

same time be free? Can we have all 

the comforts of a happily married life 

and yet be free? Really speaking, the 

conflict begins within us – between our 

own intellectual ideals and our own 

emotions; between what we know as 

‘right’ and what we know as ‘like’ or 

‘dislike.’ Is it possible that we can have 

our ideals and our emotions are not 

suppressed? 

Swami Swaroopananda said that 

success without stress is possible if 

people lead a lifestyle that is beneficial, 

not compromising our culture. 

“We can adopt what is modern 

but should not discord our Sanathan 

Dharma, which is well-tested through 

time and tradition. Our teachings and 

scriptures have made it possible over 

the ages to adapt to modern changes 

but keep the traditional values and 

principles intact. Such a unique adaptability 

in our culture has survived over 

generations, benefitting the society. 

If this is followed, our culture would 

Empowering talks on Lord Krishna’s directives 

Teenager applauded at Bharata Natyam Arangetram 

Venkat Raman 


Swami 

Atulananda 

The long-awaited Arangetram 

of Abhishek Ravi brought 

kudos to the teenager from 

more than 600 spectators 

at the Dorothy Winstone Centre, 

Auckland Girls Grammar School in 

Auckland City on Saturday, May 6, 


Thirteen-year Abhishek has been 

trained for several years by his 

Guru Anuradha Kumar, Director & 

Principal of ‘Anuradha School of 

Indian Dances,’ who was also the 

‘Nattuvanar,’ at his public debut. 

The Performance 

Abhishek began his Arangetram 

with a three-piece item combining 

‘Pushpanjali,’ ‘Allarippu’ and a ‘Stuti, 

dedicated to Lord Shiva or Lord 

Nataraja, the Lord of all Dances. 

His second item was Jatheeswaram, 

an abstract item performed to 

Swami Swaroopananda (seated left) with Swami Atulananda speaking at the meeting 

Swami Swaroopananda at the nightly meetings held at 

Green Bay High School Performing Arts Centre from April 

23 to April 27 

Abhishek Ravi in ‘Varnam’ 

remarkable choreography by 

Ms Ramkumar. 

The ‘Padam,’ the third 

item of the Arangetram was 

a tribute to Hindu Gods Lord 

Krishna, Lord Murugan, Lord 

Buddha (Buddhism), Almighty 

Allah (Islam), Lord Jesus 

(Christianity). The essence of 

the number was the oneness 

of God, although worshipped 

through various religions. 

The ‘Varnam,’ the longest 

item of a Bharata Natyam was 

tonight a Papanasam Sivam 

Composition called ‘Swami, 

Nan Undan Adimai.’ 

The song and dance denoted 

a devotee surrendering to Lord 

Shiva. This centre-piece of the 

Arangetram was marked for 

verses of piety, melodious music, 

impressive choreography 

and swift movements. 

Abhishek demonstrated his 

ability to endure and execute a 

Swamiji empowered us with 

Krishna’s Powerful Instructions – 18 

verses from the Shrimad Bhagavad 

Geeta. 

These talks were truly sublime 

and relevant in everyday life. The 

audience of nearly 300 remained 

rapt with attention on all five days 

(April 23 to April 27, 2017) and 

we had an average attendance of 

40 people at the morning talks who 

were uplifted by His exposition on 

the Vivekachoodamani’s verses on 

meditation. 

GPS in right direction 

Swamiji ignited the spiritual 

hearts of the listeners, many of 

challenging item. 

The second half of the 

programme comprised ‘Sharavanabhava 

Stuthi,’ a number 

eulogising Lord Murugan, 

‘Ramaanjaneyar Padam,’ 

episodes of Ramayanam 

with Lord Hanuman as the 

centre-figure, ‘Chathur Bandhi,’ 

a quartet of Mridangam, 

Kanjeera, Vocal Percussion 

and the dancer’s footwork and 

‘Thillana,’ which paid tribute 

to Lord Padmanabha, a form 

of Lord Vishnu. 

Artistic Family 

Born and raised in a family 

dedicated to human traits of 

compassion, friendship, social 

networking and religious 

fervour, Abhishek evinced 

interest in performing arts 

early in his life but his passion 

for Bharata Natyam surfaced 

in 2011, when he was eight 

years old. Since then, he has 

not only been an ardent student 

of Ms Ramkumar, but also 

an enthusiastic participant in 

a number of solo and group 

events. 

The Spiritual Guests 

Earlier, Swami Anubhavananda, 

known as ‘The 

Smiling Swami,’ spoke about 

‘Commitment’ as the prelude 

to success’ and extolled the 

dedication and commitment of 

Abhishek to Bharata Natyam. 

There were also speeches 

by Vedanta Teacher Ananya 

Chaitanya who spoke about the 

Supreme state of ‘Shaivism’ 

which radiates the Power and 

Artistic Supremacy of Lord 

Shiva. and Mridangam artiste 

Suresh Ramchandra. 

Musical Support 

The highlight of the Programme 

is the Vocal support 

being rendered by Archana 

Ravi, sister of Abhishek. Other 

19 

continue and prosper without affecting 

our lifestyle. Maintaining right values 

in our material life would make us 

fit for greater meditations or spiritual 

pursuits,” he said. 

Master of Vedanta 

Earlier, Chinmaya Mission New 

Zealand Head Swami Atulananda 

spoke about the life and works of Swami 

Swaroopananda and gave an insight 

into his discourses in Auckland (held 

at Green Bay High School Performing 

Arts Centre in Green Bay from April 

23 to April 27, 2017) saying that he 

was “at once a Master of Vedanta, a 

revered and compassionate teacher, an 

enchanting orator who possesses all the 

qualities that the scriptures describe as 

the ‘person of steady wisdom’, who is 

learned in the theory and also a man 

of experience. His wisdom is deeply 

rooted in the timeless Knowledge of the 

Upanishads and his skill in delivering 

that experience in a tangible form is 

unique indeed.” 

Among those present were National 

MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar, community 

and religious readers and other invited 

guests. 

Ragavan Rengachariar is National 

Credit Manager and Group Internal 

Auditor of United Industries Limited 

based in East Tamaki, Auckland. He 

is also the Chairman of RAMS Foundation, 

a not-for-profit organisation 

involved in charitable activities. Mr 

Rengachariar represented Indian 

Newslink at the High Tea hosted by 

Swami Atulananda at Chinmaya 

Mission in Auckland on April 23, 


whom were below 30 years of age. 

The message that resonated was, 

“Never say I can’t… and get off 

your “but-s.” 

These talks reminded us of the 

importance of a Guru in our spiritual 

journey as Swamiji yoked us to our 

spiritual identity and armed us with 

a GPS – ‘Guru Positioning System.’ 

The clarity and simplicity that 

Swamiji’s words brought to our 

minds was simply phenomenal. 

His connect with the audience was 

nothing short of inspirational. 

These instructions, be it in the 

evening class or in the morning 

sessions on the meditation, connected 

instantly with the seeker within 

us all and gave us a direction that 

would lead us to the goal divine. 

Chinmaya Mission New Zealand 

and all the members of the audience 

are grateful to our beloved Swami 

Swaroopanandaji for bestowing us 

with such benevolence. 

Swami Atulananda Saraswati is 

Resident Teacher and Spiritual 

Guide at Chinmaya Mission based 

in Auckland. He also oversees the 

activities of the Chinmaya Centres 

in Nelson and Wellington. 

artistes included 

Anuradha Ramkumar 

(Natuvangam), 

NK Kesavan (Mridangam), 

Ganavenothan 

Retnam 

(Flute) and Saketh 

Ram Vishnubhotla 

(Veena). 

Abhishek Ravi 

presenting 

‘Jatheeswaram’ 

(Pictures by Lion Beats, Auckland)

20 

The Bay of Islands Special Feature 


A brilliant page from history for a bright future 

The Bay of Islands that shaped our Nation, our people 

Ratna Venkat 

ratna@indiannewslink.co.nz 

In New Zealand, we have a beautiful 

Māori saying, “Ka mua, ka muri,” 

which means that in order to move 

forward, one needs to look back. 

In other words, the future is not 

clear but the past is, and if we permit 

ourselves to be guided by those who 

have lived before us, we will learn 

valuable lessons to help with our journey 

into the future. 

The Bay of Islands 

Our recent trip to the Bay of Islands 

on the east coast of New Zealand’s Far 

North (about 250 km from Auckland) 

was a stark reminder of this Māori proverb, 

particularly when visiting the small, 

yet significant towns of Russell, Paihia 

and Waitangi; towns that contributed 

towards the making of our nation. 

Taking us back in time to the earliest 

discovery of Aotearoa (Māori name for 

New Zealand), from its very first settlers 

to the official ‘birth’ of a nation, the Bay 

of Islands are deeply engraved in New 

Zealand’s historical timeline. 

A place encoded with so much 

heritage, culture and political changes, 

along with its bonus of warm blue-green 

waters, white sandy beaches and abundant 

native wildlife, it is little wonder 

that this humble sub-tropical region 

consistently attracts visitors from around 

the world, as well as from other parts of 

New Zealand. 

Hole in the Rock 

One of the best ways of exploring the 

Bay’s 144 islands is by taking a cruise 

either from Russell or Paihia, for which 

various packages are offered to the 

public depending on areas of interests 

and specific preferences. 

The voyage we took (and would 

recommend) is ‘Fullers GreatSights: 

Hole-in-the-Rock Dolphin Cruise,’ 

with inclusions such as passing through 

the hole in the rock (hence the name), 

dolphin-watching and a brief stopover 

at Urupukapuka Island for breath-taking 

views overlooking Otehei Bay, suitable 

for walk and trek enthusiasts. 

Unfortunately, we could not cruise 

through the hole in the rock due to poor 

weather conditions that day, but we 

were lucky enough to witness a pod of 

bottlenose dolphins swimming by our 

catamaran, and putting on a show of 

their impressive acrobatic antics for us! 

With the largest viewing decks in the 

Bay, the ‘Hole-in-the-Rock Dolphin 

Fullers GreatSights Cruise- A breath-taking view along the Bay Fullers GreatSights Cruise- Dolphins create waves on the Bay waters The Russell Mini Tour with Chris McIntyre is a must 

The Duke Motel- A good home in Russel 

Cruise’ is ideal for people of all ages 

who wish to get close to these majestic 

creatures in their natural, unprovoked 

habitat. 

The catamaran skipper, licensed by 

the Department of Conservation (DOC), 

provided us an informative commentary 

throughout our cruise, and assured that 

they do not influence the dolphins or other 

marine mammals in any way; that they 

swim towards the boat out of their own 

will and curiosity. 

First Voyager 

Other attractions in this cruise package 

include locating the spots of the first 

Māori voyager, Kupe who set foot in the 

Bay, followed by Captain James Cook, 

the first European to arrive at the Bay, the 

historic Cape Brett Lighthouse, and native 

birdlife such as pied shags, gannets and 

oystercatchers residing on cliff tops. 

‘Fullers GreatSights: Hole-in-the-Rock 

Dolphin Cruise’ is guaranteed to be the 

best half day one will have in the Bay. For 

bookings, please visit 

http://www.dolphincruises.co.nz/bayof-islands-cruises/hole-in-the-rock/ 

and www.visitboi.co.nz/ 

Surprising Russell 

After returning to Russel Wharf from 

our cruise, we boarded a coach for another 

adventure of New Zealand’s past, named 

‘Fullers GreatSights: Russell Mini Tour.’ 

As the name suggests, this is a one-hour 

mini guided tour around Russell, a now 

peaceful law-abiding town that was once 

notoriously known as “Hell Hole of the 

Pacific,” given the bad reputation it had 

Locally grown figs and honey at 

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel 

A boutique property with nautical theme- Ratna Venkat at the Duke Motel 

for being a lawless trading centre full of 

drunken whalers, prostitutes and escaped 

convicts from Australia. 

Chris McIntyre, our guide, took us 

back in time to several of these iconic 

locations, now a part of Russell’s unique 

heritage, while sharing his local insight of 

the town. 

Place of Many Firsts 

We were surprised how little we 

knew about New Zealand’s early history 

before boarding the Mini Tour, especially 

Russell’s many firsts (and oldest) sites in 

New Zealand. 

The first permanent European 

settlement and seaport, along with being 

the country’s first Capital. 

In terms of infrastructure, Russell 

proudly holds Christs’ Anglican Church 

as the oldest surviving church, ‘The 

Duke of Marlborough Hotel’ as the 

oldest licensed hotel, bar and restaurant, 

and Pompallier House as the oldest 

industrial building and licensed pub in 

New Zealand. 

Big Little Town 

Interestingly, Russell generates its own 

water supply by totally depending on its 

rainfall, which is why the water tastes 

From the Water’s edge to the threshold of peace 

Paihia opens its heart to the world 

Paihia is affectionately known as 

‘Jewel of the Bay of the Islands,’ 

access to which from Russell is 

via the Opua ferry. 

It is easy to see why it means ‘good 

here’ in Māori, for not only is this an 

excellent base to explore the Bay in all 

its glory but the town itself is a lively 

and colourful place full of warm-hearted 

people. 

Charlotte serves with passion 

Our short stay in Paihia was well 

spent at ‘Charlotte’s Kitchen,’ a newly 

established restaurant and bar not so easy 

to find, but located right at the end of 

the pier where its eye-catching logo and 

friendly staff instantly draw people. 

Given its idyllic location near the 

ocean, the beautiful view of the Bay is an 

understatement, for one’s dining experience 

is heightened either by the colours of the 

setting sun or by the twinkling lights at night. 

The restaurant’s unique name is in 

remembrance of Charlotte Badger, a 

criminal from the UK and allegedly the 

first European woman to settle in New 

Zealand, who was known for her passion, 

strength and daring conquests. 

Modernity rubs with the past 

The interiors of the restaurant are also 

noticeable, a blend where modernity meets 

style, yet cosy at the same time. 

‘Charlotte’s Kitchen’ is different from 

other restaurants for it believes that meals 

are to be shared, the way that families and 

loved ones eat and share meals at home. 

Hence, if food is a reason to bring 

people closer together, then this place 

would certainly create that ambience. 

It is recommended to make a booking. 

Vegetarian and gluten-free options are 

also available. Please visit http://www. 

Charlotte’s Kitchen- 

The name is a draw in Paihia 

charlotteskitchen.co.nz/ and www.visitboi. 

co.nz/ 

Slice of Heaven 

With a commendable tagline such as 

‘Jewel of the Bay,’ staying at ‘The Scenic 

Hotel Bay of Islands,’ would be an apt 

accommodation for any traveller to Paihia 

(and other islands of the Bay). 

100% New Zealand owned and 

operated, the hotel is set at international 

standards with a genuine feel of Kiwi 

hospitality, welcoming guests ranging 

Newport Handcrafted Chocolates- to eat and 

to drink- at Russell 

different yet pleasant compared to other 

cities in New Zealand. 

McIntyre also mentioned that the town 

holds many expensive holiday homes of 

which 60% are owned by wealthy people 

residing overseas. 

New Zealand’s most expensive rental 

accommodation, called ‘Eagles Nest’ is 

also based in this ‘big little town.’ 

The coach tour’s other attractions 

include climbing atop the Flagstaff Hill 

overlooking stunning views of the Bay, 

as well as meeting a group of friendly 

wekas, New Zealand’s native birds that 

resemble the kiwi birds. 

‘Fullers GreatSights: Russell Mini 

Tour’ is a great way of visiting these areas 

of past and present which cannot be easily 

explored on foot. 

To book online, please visit https:// 

www.dolphincruises.co.nz/bay-of-islandstours/discover-russell/ 

and www.visitboi. 

co.nz/ 

The Dining experience 

Keeping up with the historical theme, a 

perfect way to wrap up one’s sightseeing 

in Russell is to dine at ‘The Duke of 

Marlborough Hotel,’ a heritage hotel, bar 

and restaurant located a few metres away 

Charlotte’s Kitchen- Indulge in cuisine luxuryhandcrafted 

pizza with blue cheese and onion jam 

from business and corporate visitors to 

families, groups and individuals. 

‘The Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands’ is 

one of the most naturesque hotels with 

rooms surrounded by lush greenery and 

island-inspired beauty, as though one 

is amongst a rainforest but with all the 

creature comforts! 

To experience this slice of Kiwi 

hospitality within the accommodation, 

please visit http://scenichotelgroup.co.nz/ 

and www.visitboi.co.nz/ 

The Duke of Marlborough- New Zealand’s first and oldest Hotel 

from the site of the Mini Tour. 

The restaurant’s intriguing name was 

coined in the 1830s by Johnny Johnston, 

‘a convict-turned-good man,’ who was 

regarded highly by the local Māori people. 

The Duke of Marlborough at the time 

was the world’s wealthiest man, and 

Johnny’s decision to give the hotel this 

new name sought to bring sophistication 

and opulence to the so-called “Hell Hole 

of the Pacific.” 

A recipient of many awards, the restaurant 

menu offers the best of locally sourced 

seasonal produce, presenting a new take 

on classic favourites, including a range of 

vegetarian and gluten-free options. 

To make a booking, please visit http:// 

theduke.co.nz/ and www.visitboi.co.nz/ 

Motel with Nautical theme 

Russell’s history and culture has always 

been associated with its neighbouring sea 

and the vast ocean. 

‘The Duke Motel,’ managed by the 

owners of ‘The Duke Marlborough Hotel,’ 

and located within walking distance, is a 

beautiful boutique motel that has sustained 

this nautical theme across the nine 

self-contained rooms it offers. 

Ranging from two-bedroom units 

to studios in an open setting with two 

spacious barbecue areas and an outdoor 

heated swimming pool, this accommodation 

is perfect for couples, families or 

those seeking an extra special stay while 

exploring Russell and the rest of the Bay. 

For more information on ‘The Duke 

Motel,’ please visit http://www.dukemotel. 

co.nz/ and www.visitboi.co.nz/ 

The Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands- Where visitors 

become friends 

The Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands- 

From Nature to Stature 

Pictures by Ratna Venkat


The Ground for Treaty and the march forward 

Waitangi is a profound reminder of Māori fortitude 

No visit to the Bay of Islands 

would be complete without 

a visit to the Waitangi 

Treaty Grounds, a premier 

New Zealand attraction about three 

minutes by car from the main centre of 

Paihia. 

We stepped back in time at this gateway 

to modern New Zealand with the 

help of a local guide, who belongs to 

the local iwi, we discovered an ancient 

Aotearoa filled native flora and fauna, 

the first Māori and Pakeha (European) 

voyagers, the misconceptions between 

them and other significant events that 

eventually led to the signing of the 

Treaty at Waitangi on February 6, 1840. 

Grounds for pride 

The Grounds are a ‘must-visit’ 

for tourists and locals alike, not just 

because they are a vital part of New 

Zealand’s history, but because of the 

unique opportunity of going on a journey 

through time, walking the footsteps 

of a local guide’s own ancestors and 

their connections to the Treaty. 

Besides the Flagstaff marking the 

spot where the Waitangi Treaty was 

signed, it is worth noticing other 

treasures around the Grounds, such 

as the world’s largest ceremonial war 

canoe (35 metres long and weighing six 

tons), launched every year on February 

6 as part of Waitangi Day Celebrations; 

native plants such as Kōwhai and 

silver fern; and beautiful native birds 

including Kererū (wood pigeon), Tūī, 

Pūkeko and Pīwakawaka (fantail). 

Māori Culture 

The carved Meeting House, Te 

Whare Rūnanga, is a great example of 

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds Main Entrance 

traditional Māori architecture. Once 

welcomed inside after a ritual ceremony 

(Pōwhiri), visitors are treated to an 

authentic Māori cultural performance 

before and after Pakeha colonisation, 

with elements that include waiata, poi 

and the world-famous Haka dance. 

Exclusive to Waitangi 

Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi, 

a two-storey modern exhibition, is a 

definitive expression of the role of the 

Treaty of Waitangi in the past, present 

and future of New Zealand. 

Opened to the public on February 

7, 2016, the Museum elevates the 

stature of Waitangi Treaty Grounds by 

introducing the story of the area and its 

people via the use of comprehensive 

visual and multi-media displays, with 

Māori and Pakeha perspectives being 

equally expressed, leaving visitors 

to judge this unique experience for 

themselves. 

The pounamu or New Zealand 

greenstone is one of the many sacred 

treasures housed in the museum that are 

sure to enhance the positive energy of 

Waitangi, its people and its visitors. 

Whetting the appetite 

Touring the Grounds for many hours 

The Spot where the Treaty was signed on 

February 6, 1840 

is guaranteed to work up one’s appetite, 

and the Whare Waka Café located 

on-site, provides the convenience for 

visitors who wish to save time travelling 

far for their food outside the Waitangi 

Treaty premises. 

Besides wondering what to choose 

from the wide variety of cabinet and à 

la carte meals, we had difficulty in deciding 

whether to enjoy our food sitting 

within the cosy indoors or stepping outside 

for New Zealand’s scenic beauty, 

with ferns and native trees overlooking 

the Waka Taua (ceremonial war canoe) 

and the Pacific Ocean. We were glad 

that we chose the latter option! 

In addition to enjoying good food, 

this is also a great place to relax those 

tiring muscles after a day of walking 

and exploring the Grounds. In our case 

though, it was a weekend of exploring 

the Bay of Islands. 

The café also has vegetarian and 

gluten-free choices. 

To be a part of the eye-opening tour 

around Waitangi Treaty Grounds including 

a refreshing break at Whare Waka 

Café, please visit http://www.waitangi. 

org.nz/ and www.visitboi.co.nz/ 

The Bay of Islands Special Feature 

The Winterless North beckons you 

A breath-taking view of the Bay of Islands - Picture 

courtesy: HD Wall Papers 

The Bay of Islands is a magnificent 

wonder of beauty, history 

and culture all rolled in one 

place. Comprising 144 Islands 

and a handful of historic towns, the Bay 

of Islands has stunning scenery, white 

beaches and fresh produce, making 

it one of the most prominent tourist 

destinations in New Zealand. 

Located at just over three hours’ 

drive from Auckland in the ‘winterless 

north’, the Bay of Islands is a popular 

destination for fishing and water-related 

activities. 

Chapters from History 

It is also home to the Waitangi Treaty 

Grounds, an award winning cultural 

At Waitangi Treaty Grounds 

Enter the best Indian food recipe and win a 

trip for two to the Bay of Islands. The winning 

recipe will feature on the Whare Waka Café menu 

in the Waitangi Treaty Grounds during the month 

of August. Email your original recipe and a clear 

photo of the dish to info@waitangi.org.nz 

The prize (valid for 2 adults): 

●Two-night stay at Copthorne Hotel & Resort 

Bay of Islands (twin or double room, includes 

breakfast) 

21 

heritage attraction and New Zealand’s most 

important historic site. The Treaty Grounds 

feature Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi, 

the Treaty House, the carved Meeting 

House and the world’s largest ceremonial 

war canoe. 

Beginning our journey in Russell, 

moving to Paihia, and wrapping our tour 

in Waitangi, we have visited some of the 

oldest sites as well as the newest, and learnt 

about the earliest days of colonisation to the 

current times of immigration. 

The birth of a Nation 

This little part of Aotearoa triggered 

the birth of our nation, and the locals are 

proud of this fact in showcasing this region 

and sharing their legacy with other New 

Zealanders and the rest of the world. 

We encourage our readers to visit 

the Bay of Islands and experience Kiwi 

paradise for themselves! 

The Indian Newslink team travelled to 

Bay of Islands with assistance of the Bay 

of Islands Marketing Group. Please visit 

www.visitboi.co.nz for more information. 

-Ratna Venkat 

● The ultimate Waitangi experience, including 

a guided tour, cultural performance, 

admission to the museum 

● Greatsights Dolphin Cruise to the Hole in 

the Rock 

● Dinner at Green’s Restaurant 

● $200 worth of petrol vouchers 

● The winning recipe will feature on the Whare 

Waka Café menu in the Waitangi Treaty 

Grounds during the month of August 

Waitangi Treaty Grounds 

Indian Cuisine Competition 

Enter your best Indian 

recipe andWIN atrip 

fortwo to theBay of Islands. 

Your winning dishwill featureinAugustonthe WhareWaka Café 

menu at Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Email your original recipe 

and aclear phototo info@waitangi.org.nz 

Full terms andconditions www.waitangi.org.nz/competition

22 

Classifiedlink/Entertainmentlink 

South Indian artistes set for Auckland stage 

Rockstar DSP Devi Sri Prasad and group in Auckland on June 17 


Venkat Raman 


Devi Sri Prasad, one 

of the most prolific 

singers of South Indian 

Cinema, particularly 

of the Telugu film 

industry, will perform in Auckland 

on Thursday, June 8, 2017 at Victory 

Convention Centre, located at 98 

Beaumont Street, Freemans Bay. 

Known as ‘Rock Start DSP,’ he 

will be accompanied by singers of 

growing fame Divya Menon, Sagar 

Sathyamurthy, Geetha Madhuri, 

Ranina Reddy, Ranjith and Rita. 

The group will also perform in 

Sydney (Olympic Park Sports Centre) 

on May 27, Melbourne (Melbourne 

Convention Centre) on June 3 and 

Brisbane (Sleemans Sports Complex 

Chandler Theatre) on June 10. 

Among the organisers of the programmes 

on either side of the Tasman 

Vinod lived true to his name-unique 

Indian cinema lost one of its most 

versatile and handsome actors 

with the passing away of Vinod 

Khanna. 

The 70-year-old lost his battle to 

liver cancer on April 27, 2017. 

Born in Peshawar, he got his first 

break in the Hindi film industry with 

Sunil’s Dutt’s ‘Man Ka Meet.’ 

He started his career playing negative 

characters in films like ‘Purab Aur 

Paschim’ and ‘Sachaa Jhutha.’ 

His portrayal of a dacoit in the 

action-drama ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’ 

in which he held his own against 

Dharamendra, got him rave reviews. 

Leading Actor 

Gulzar’s directorial debut ‘Mere 

Apne’ was one of the earliest films to 

BRIDE WANTED 

Apurva Shukla 

VenkatRaman 

Vinod Khanna was the Minister 

of State for External Affairs 

in 2007. In that capacity, he was 

due to visit New Zealand at the 

invitation of then Trade Minister 

Phil Goff to participate in a series 

of meetings held between the two 

governments and the officials of the 

5’11” tall, extremely handsome and 

educated 32-year Punjabi man seeking 

bride. From Sharma Pundit family 

with BCom degree, he has great sense 

of humour, passion for life and family 

orientated. His interests are Cricket, 

Boxing and Movies. He and his 

family are religious. He is like a son 

to me and along with his family from 

Himachal Pradesh, I am looking for 

a bride for him. Photograph available 

on interest. Please contact 

+64 9 21722952. 

BRIDEGROOM WANTED 

Seeking suitable match for our 

daughter, very beautiful, fair, slim, 

Hindu Punjabi (Wadhwa), MBA, 

5’-4”, 1984, all family well settled in 

Auckland. Contact Ishwar Wadhwa 

022-1207799. 

Vinod Khanna (1946-2017) 

cast Vinod Khanna as the leading man. 

It starred another actor who would 

soon graduate from playing negative 

to main leads, namely, Shatrughan 

Sinha. 

He teamed up again with Gulzar in 

1973 for ‘Achanak’, as story based on 

the 1958 murder case of KM Nanavati 

v State of Maharashtra (Akshay 

Kumar recently got a national award 

for ‘Rustom,’ another adaptation of 

The Minister who missed New Zealand 

visiting Federation of Chambers of 

Commerce and Industry, India and 

the India New Zealand Business 

Council. A delegation of officials 

including Indian Newslink, the only 

Indian newspaper at that time was 

involved in arranging his visit and 

meeting at the Langham Hotel on 

October 24, 2007. The delegation 

Avani Ashish Trivedi passes away 

Avani Ashish Trivedi, wife 

of Ashish Trivedi, Director, 

Newton College of 

Business & Technology (NCBT) 

passed away on Monday, May 1, 

2017 at their Lynfield Residence in 

Auckland. 

She was 42 years old. She left 

behind her husband, and their two 

sons Yug and Ansh. 

Ms Avani died peacefully 

surrounded by her family and 

friends. 

Her funeral and cremation service, 

in celebration of her life, was 

held on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 

at 3 pm at the Morrison Funeral, 

220 Universal Drive, Henderson, 

West Auckland. The cremation 

followed the Funeral Service. 

Avani Ashish Trivedi 

are the New Zealand Telugu 

Association, Telugu Association of 

Australia, the Queensland Telugu 

Association and several other 

community organisations in New 

South Wales. 

New Zealand Telugu Association 

President Dharmendar Alle said 

that the Tour would have the 

benefit of professionals in digital 

promotional strategy. 

“The performances would have 

spectacular theatrics and special 

audio and visual effects, comparable 

to the best in the entertainment 

industry,” he said. 

Devi Sri Prasad 

the same incident). 

The softer side 

His sensitive portrayal of Major 

Ranjeet Khanna in the song-less film 

showed a softer side to the macho star’s 

persona. 

The dashing actor formed a successful 

combination with Amitabh Bachchan 

and delivered big hits like ‘Amar Akbar 

Anthony,’ ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Muqaddar 

Ka Sikandar.’ 

Rishi Kapoor, in his recently released 

autobiography ‘Khullam Khulla,’ wrote 

how Vinod Khanna was insistent on 

a having a leading role opposite him 

in ‘Amar Akbar Anthony,’ as both the 

other lead actors had the same actor. 

Shabana Azmi eventually played his 

love interest in the lost and found 

themed blockbuster. 

Multi-starrer era 

The decades of 1970 and 1980 were 

an era dominated by multi-starrer action 

films. 

The tall and suave Vinod Khanna with 

included Tim Groser, who was 

then in the Opposition as National 

Party’s Trade Spokesman. However, 

as our meeting was in progress, a 

message received by Mr Goff said 

that Mr Khanna had to cancel his 

visit because he was recalled to 

Delhi to attend an urgent meeting of 

the federal Cabinet. 

‘Rock Star DSP’ has impressive 

lineage. Son of popular script 

writer, the late Satyamurthy, he has 

been passionate about music and 

composing music since his formative 

years. He composed his first 

South Indian music album when 

he was a teenager and entered the 

movie industry as a music director 

in 1999. 

His compositions have been 

chart toppers; and his consistent 

high quality popular on-stage 

performances have earned him the 

title of ‘Rockstar.’ 

Mr Alle said that over the past 

ten years, DSP has composed 

his charismatic screen presence was a 

perfect fit for these masala entertainers. 

His prominent releases of the period 

included ‘Haath Ki Safai,’ ‘The Burning 

Train’ and one of the most stylish films 

ever made ‘Qurbani.’ 

Sadly, both the leading men of this 

biggest hit of 1980 Feroz Khan and 

Vinod Khanna passed away on the same 

date; eight years apart. 

At the height of his Bollywood career 

Vinod Khanna did what was unthinkable 

for any star – leave the industry. 

Spiritual life 

He became a follower of Spiritual 

Guru Osho and spent time in America 

with the ‘Rajneesh Movement.’ 

Vinod Khanna came back to movies 

in 1987. Hindi cinema had changed; 

the Video industry was thriving and 

adversely impacting the film industry. 

This led to creativity taking a backseat 

in filmmaking. 

His standout performances in his 

second innings came in ‘Dayavan,’ 

music that has taken his popularity 

to a new level. 

“He has won the Filmfare Award 

for Best Music Director over many 

years and the IIFA Best Music 

Director Award (South). He has 

more than 3.5 million followers on 

Facebook. He is also the winner 

of the IIFA Best Music Director 

Award South (South Indian). True 

to the title of ‘Rockstar DSP,’ he 

has enthralled audiences all over 

the world. We look forward to the 

performance with his group in 

Auckland on June 8, 2017,” Mr 

Alle said. 

‘Jurm’ and the breezy and melodious 

romance ‘Chandani.’ 

He also played Salman Khan’s father 

in the smash hit ‘Dabangg’ series. 

Vinod Khanna was last seen on the 

big screen in the Shahrukh Khan-Kajol 

starrer ‘Dilwale.’ His sons Akshaye and 

Rahul are part of the film industry. 

Political Career 

Vinod Khanna was one of the few 

stars to successfully transit from the 

silver screen to politics. He was a sitting 

Member of Parliament of the ruling 

Bharatiya Janata Party from Gurdaspur 

in Punjab. He, alongside his co-star of 

many films Shatrughan Sinha were also 

Ministers in the Central Government for 

a period from 2002. 

Vinod Khanna was one of the most 

popular stars of Hindi cinema. His 

well-chiselled good looks, dialogue 

delivery and most importantly the 

ability to light up the screen, was what 

endeared him to his large legion of 

fans – he will be sorely missed.

! 

! 

! 

WWW.HOUSEOFSVARN.COM 


Entertainmentlink 

23 

Model of the Fortnight: Vandhana Vikash 

Journey of a life time starts with self-discovery 

Pam Cummings 

Representing Miss Five 

Crowns New Zealand at a 

global event is a pleasure 

and the thought of also 

representing my homeland Fiji is a 

double pleasure, says Vandhana Vikash, 

our Model of the Fortnight. 

Vandhana will leave for Macau, China, 

on May 20, 2017 to participate in 

the ‘World Supermodel’ Competition. 

She will be amongst young women 

from over 50 countries around the 

world. 

“This opportunity was one I never 

dreamed would ever happen,” she said. 

Vandhana Vikash grew up in Fiji 

and has a passion for modelling and for 

expressing her inner beauty to those 

around her. 

Compassionate 

Kind hearted and a true giver, she 

carries that gentle nature and compassion 

where ever she goes. Mid last year, 

Vandhana started on a self-discovery 

journey and spent many months in the 

Miss Five Crowns New Zealand beauty 

organisation, learning many personal 

development and business skills. 

After winning a Miss Five Crown 

regional title in November 2016, she 

applied herself continually on an 

individual basis to help others. 

On the weekend at a VIP lavish 

event, she was crowned and walked 

away with World Supermodel Pacific 

Islands title. 

Photography: Rochel Nilendra 

Pam Cummings is Director of Miss Five 

Crowns New Zealand and a member 

of the Panel of Judges of the Indian 

Newslink Indian Sports Awards. 

If you wish to be featured as a Model of the Fortnight, please ask your photographer to contact us or write to us directly to 

editor@indiannewslink.co.nz. Model of the Fortnight is a column that is open to all New Zealanders, tourists and visitors. 

The zing has gone but 

LP music lives on 

Await an evening of melody with Swar 

Sadhana Academy of Music 

Venkat Raman 


Two years ago, during an 

interview with Press Trust 

of India (PTI) Pyarelal of 

Laxmikant Pyarelal fame said that the 

work environment and ethics have 

undergone significant changes in the 

Hindi music industry. 

“When we used to work, about 

200 musicians worked at a time, but 

it is now all done on sophisticated 

equipment - somehow that zing thing is 

missing. But I don’t say it is bad. I am 

ready to compose music for a Bollywood 

film if a producer or a filmmaker 

comes with a good offer,” he said. 

Interesting interview 

For a veteran like him, who has 

worked with such actors of calibre 

as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and 

Dharmendra, today’s studios would 

certainly be unsuitable. 

“Producers today ask me to compose 

for one or two songs. This may be the 

trend but I will not take up an offer 

unless I do all the songs in a film,” he 

said. 

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar 

has also often mourned over the status 

of music in the modern film. 

“We have had music composers of 

great talent like Laxmikant Pyarelal,” 

she said. 

When he was 12 years old, Pyarelal 

was keen to go to Vienna to become 

a trained violinist but destiny and his 

childhood friend changed his plans. 

Shankar-Jaikishan, who were the 

rage of the Hindi cinema from 1950s 

through to 1970s, inspired this duo. 

Laxmikant would mimic 

Jaikishan with an upturned 

collar, wearing his metal 

watchstrap loose. 

The industry was surprised 

when LP earned the 

Filmfare Award for Dosti 

(1964), over the highly 

expected ‘Sangam’ released 

the same year. 

Suneheri Yaadein 

Some of the lilting songs 

of Laxmikant Pyarelal can 

be heard at ‘Suneheri Yaadein’ 

(Golden Memories), 

a programme scheduled 

to be held on Saturday, 

May 20, 2017 at Dorothy 

Winstone Centre, Auckland 

Girls Grammar School at 

630 pm. 

Orqanised by ‘Swar 

Sadhana Academy of Music’ 

in association with Ravi 

Shetty, ‘Suneheri Yaadein’ 

will feature Arun Khotkar, 

Ashish Ramkrishnan, 

Ekta Kumar, Guncha Singh, 

Joseph Jose, Kanik Mongia, 

Kanika Diesh, Kavita 

Lamba, Neel Patel, Ravi 

Shetty, Ritika Badakere, 

Sandhya Badakere, Siddhi 

Nigudkar, Srishaa Iyer and 

Vibha Trivedi. 

Tickets, priced at $20 

are available at Yogiji Food 

Mart and Auckland Indian 

Sweets. Further details 

can be obtained on (09) 

6270009. 

Saturday16th September 

Auckland Town Hall 

Forentry details visit 

www.missindianz.co.nz 

ReshabhD.Parikh Productions 

Presents 

Celebrating 

Kiwi-Indian Elegance 

since 2002 

Pooja Chitgopekar 

Miss IndiaNZ 2002 

Photo: Rahul Dutta 

SVARN

24 

Sportslink 


Teenager aims high at World Cup Youth Soccer 

Source: FIFA.com 

Eighteen-year-old Sarpreet 

Singh from Auckland is in 

South Korea to participate in 

the FIFA World Cup Under 20 

matches. 

The following is a report that 

appeared in FIFA.com 

New Zealand Youth International 

Sarpreet Singh was an impressionable 

ten-year-old when Winston Reid scored 

a famous last-gasp equaliser against 

Slovakia to earn the All Whites their 

first-ever point at a FIFA World Cup. 

Now 18, Singh is well advanced 

down the path towards his own success 

in the game. And New Zealand’s South 

Africa 2010 hero Reid - the current senior 

national team captain - has played 

an important role in that journey. 

As a starry-eyed youngster, Singh 

had two main dreams – becoming a 

professional footballer and wearing the 

national team colours. He is now on the 

verge of achieving both those ambitions 

within a matter of months, as New 

Zealand prepare for the FIFA U-20 

World Cup, which commences later this 

month in the Korea Republic. 

Mentoring and friendship 

Singh was a scrawny schoolboy 

when his unexpected break came in 

the unlikely setting of Samoa. The 

then Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie 

Merrick picked out Singh during the 

2015 U-17 World Cup qualifiers as 

being worthy of a spot in the club’s 

academy side. A rough diamond for 

sure, but one that could be polished to 

shine even brighter. 

Sarpreet Singh 

But then there was the problem of 

finance, and schooling. 

Raised in Auckland to India-born 

parents, Singh needed to move south 

to the capital. That was when Reid 

stepped in, as Singh and fellow teen 

Max Mata became beneficiaries of the 

first-ever Winston Reid scholarship. 

“Winston Reid played a big part 

in that process. He helped with the 

financial side of things, helping me 

go to school here (in Wellington) and 

set up a homestay. He looked after me 

with all that, for which I am grateful. 

I have not met Winston in person, but 

we have Skyped and I still email him 

on occasions, if I need something. I can 

go straight to him, and I also have other 

people I can go to,” he told FIFA.com. 

A stylish attacking midfielder, Singh 

is well on the way to achieving his 

football aims. He recently made his 

senior debut for the Phoenix – New 

Zealand’s only professional club. It was 

an experience that was both gratifying 

and eye-opening. 

Dreams can come true 

New Zealand has been drawn in an 

intriguing group for Korea Republic 

2017, with Group E’s football mix as 

diverse as its cultural flavour. 

The Kiwis will tackle Vietnam and 

Honduras, before rounding out their 

group-stage commitments with a 

meeting against France. 

New Zealand boasts some solid 

results at U-20 World Cups in recent 

years, notably reaching the knockout 

round on home soil two years ago. 

They reprised that feat a few months 

later at the U-17 World Cup, where it 

took a somewhat unlucky 1-0 defeat 

against Brazil to suffer elimination in 

the Round of 16 – a team of which 

Singh was a part. 

Singh believes that experience at 

Chile 2015 will stand the side in good 

stead when they enter the heat of battle 

in Korea Republic. Darren Bazeley’s 

side is also well stocked with senior 

internationals - Clayton Lewis, Henry 

Cameron, Dane Ingham, Moses Dyer 

and Logan Rogerson among them. 

“Getting that exposure to the world 

stage obviously stands me in good 

stead, as it does all players that have 

played at that level. There is nothing to 

fear. We know what a threat they (our 

opponents) can be, but as long as we 

prepare well, we should be Ok,” Singh 

said. 

Singh’s schoolboy day-dreaming 

from 2010 seems a long time ago now, 

but the 18-year-old is aware of the 

significance. 

“It is the kind of thing you dream 

of as a kid,” he said. “To actually do 

that, really is a dream come true. Since 

I started playing at a young age, all I 

ever wanted to be was a pro footballer 

and play for the national team, and I am 

slowly working towards that,” he said. 

Our Staff Reporter adds: 

Among the other achievements of 

Sarpreet Singh in the field of Soccer are 

matches in Switzerland and Germany 

(2009), Australia Futsal at which he was 

named, ‘Most Valuable Player’ (2010), 

Japan (2011), Nike Cup in Manchester 

(2012), Turkey (2014), Under 17 World 

Cup (2015), and Wellington Phoenix A 

League Debut (2017). 

Another fortnightly event begins next fortnight 

Apurv Shukla 

The second most prestigious 

event in cricket after the 

World Cup- the Champions 

Trophy starts in England on 

June 1, 2017. 

The eighth edition of the event 

will see the top eight one-day playing 

nations, divided into two groups, 

to claim top honors over a fortnight. 

The compressed format of the event 

produces exciting cricket, with all 

games critical to a sides chance of 

making it to the knock out stages. 

New Zealand: Kane Williamson 

leads an experienced squad to England, 

which will try to replicate the success 

of the team which won the second 

Champions Trophy in 2000. 

India: The defending champions very 

nearly did not take part at this event. In 

April, International Cricket Council 

(ICC) approved a new constitution, 

governance structure, and a finance 

model, with the other full members 

outvoting the BCCI. 

Australia look to add to their kitty 

of two Champions Trophy wins with 

the Steve Smith led side shaping up 

as strong contenders for the event. 

England: The bookmakers favourite, 

will look to win their first ever 

Champions Trophy. 

The above is a highly edited 

version. For full text, please visit 


CALLING FOR ENTRIES &NOMINATIONS 

CATEGORIES: 

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2. Business Excellence in Innovation 

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5. Best EmployerofChoice 

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14. Best Financial Advisor (Insurance) of the Year 

Supreme Business of the Year Award 

(All entries will be entered forthis category) 

*this categoryisopen toall businesses registered in New Zealand, importing or exportinga 

product or service from and to India or engaged in enrolling international students from India 

To theTenth Annual Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2017 

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