Oct 15 2019 INL Digital Edition

The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999)
Issue 425 | OCTOBER 15, 2019 | Free
Happy Diwali
Diwali 2019 Special
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Auckland Mayor committed
to election promises
Phil Goff
It is a great privilege to have
been chosen by Aucklanders
to serve another term as
Mayor.
For the next three years, my
priority will be to build on our
foundations to make Auckland
a world-class, internationally
successful and inclusive City.
We will continue to invest in
our transport infrastructure to
tackle traffic congestion and give
people more choice in transport
modes.
We will keep up the
construction of new homes to
increase supply and address
housing affordability issues, while
working with the government to
reduce homelessness.
Revitalised City
The visitors who will arrive in
our city for the America’s Cup and
APEC will find a revitalised, people-friendly
City Centre, thanks
to streetscape upgrades and
pedestrianisation projects such as
the Quay Street enhancement.
Our environment will remain
a focus; we will plant another 1.5
million trees to capture carbon
emissions, continue the clean-up
of our beaches, harbours and
streams, and address the challenges
posed by climate change
and introduced pest species.
Review of CCOs
A review of the Council-controlled
organisations will ensure
they are fit for purpose and
delivering for Aucklanders.
In addition, I will ensure that
the council and CCOs maintain
a sharp focus on cost-savings
and efficiencies. We will keep
up our efforts to reduce waste
and duplication and maintain
value for money in all the
services we provide to the people
of Auckland.
Auckland is New Zealand’s
international City, and as Mayor
I am committed to ensuring that
it remains a multicultural and
multifaith community, one that
respects all peoples’ rights to
practise their faith and retain and
celebrate their cultural identity.
I look forward to working
with Councillors, Local Boards,
communities and individuals to
continue building a world-class
City of which we can all be proud.
Thank you for your support.
Phil Goff was re-elected to the
Post of Mayor of Auckland on
Saturday, October 12, 2019.
Phil Goff with (from left) Councillors Cathy Casey, Pippa Coom, Bill Cashmore
and Shane Henderson (Picture Supplied)
Labour MP counters lawyer’s comments on Immigration
Michael Wood
One thing I have learned in politics
and public life is that a calm and
rational approach supported by the
facts is important, particularly if
you are seeking change.
As Labour MPs, we listen closely to the
feedback that we receive from all communities
and take this into account as we develop
new policy.
Mr McClymont’s hysterical commentary
(see story under Homelink) does not assist
with the development of new policy which
might meet his concerns.
This is unfortunate and does not do his
clients or the community much good.
Offensive Claims
His highly offensive claims of a ‘war’
on Indian migrants is also ironic given
that a steady stream of his clients receive
assistance from this Labour MP’s office after
his firm has not been able to secure the
visas that they seek.
There are a number of specific concerns
raised in Mr McClymont’s article, some of
which are quite reasonable and are currently
being addressed by the government.
What is not reasonable is the suggestion
that there is some kind of broader approach
to slashing immigration numbers.
The figures simply do not bear this out.
New Zealand is a small country of around
five million people, but over the past year
around 250,000 people arrived into the
country on work visas and around 34,000
became New Zealand residents.
While it is true that in a number of
categories the total number of visas granted
have reduced, it is also true that numbers
have increased in other categories.
Overall, numbers are slightly down on
the record levels seen in recent years but
still above historical averages.
Eliminating exploitation
What the government has been focused
on is ensuring that the system is fit for purpose,
meeting the needs of both migrants
and employers, and that we stamp out
migrant exploitation.
Our recent announcement of changes to
streamline work visas, and better match the
skills of migrants with employer needs is an
example of this.
We do acknowledge that significant
delays in the processing of visas this year
have caused problems for people. These
delays have been caused by a range of
factors including very high volumes, and
changes to INZ’s processes.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway
has expressed a firm view that processing
times must be improved, and additional
resources have been provided to support
this.
Across most categories, the processing
times are now coming back down.
Processing time issue
The reality is that the processing of visas
does require significant work by INZ staff
and that a small number of applicants will
try to cheat the system.
We are working hard to ensure that
our immigration system is robust, while
processing legitimate visas in a timely way.
In the case of concerns about the processing
of culturally arranged marriages, the
same principle applies. INZ recognises that
culturally arranged marriages are a legitimate
form of partnership, and continues to
provide visas on this basis.
At the same time it is fair and reasonable
that reasonable checks are made to ensure
the legitimacy of the partnership.
Sadly, some people will claim try and
use this category in an abusive way and
we need to be on guard for this. Along with
my Labour colleague (and MP) Priyanca
Radhakrishnan we have received approaches
from a number of community leaders
recently expressing concern about the way
that some applications in this category are
being treated.
We have raised this directly with the
Minister, and are working with INZ to
ensure that there is good dialogue between
them and the community.
Constructive feedback needed
Finally, I acknowledge some of the
concerns that I am hearing about the
re-opening of the parent category. While
the income thresholds are higher than they
have been in the past, it is important to note
that the category is now at least opened
after being closed by the previous National
government – this represents progress.
Along with other Labour MPs, I am keen
to hear constructive community feedback
so that we can develop Labour policy to take
into the 2020 election.
We will listen carefully to the vast
majority of the community who engage in
these issues in a calm and factual way.
Striking a balance
I am proud to represent Mount Roskill,
which includes one of New Zealand’s
largest Indian communities. New Zealand
is a better place for our active and vibrant
Indian community, and our immigration
system will continue to facilitate this.
Immigration policy is always about striking
a balance, and over the coming period
I look forward to positive engagement
with the range of views held within the
community so that we can develop good
policy that meets the needs of our country,
and of people who wish to come here and
contribute.
Michael Wood is elected Member of
Parliament from Mount Roskill in
Auckland and is the Chief Whip of the
Parliamentary Labour Caucus. He has
exercised his Right to Reply, in response
to the comments of Immigration Lawyer
Alastair McClymont posted first on our
Web Edition and Social Media.
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02
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Homelink
Parent Visa should be open to all Permanent Residents
Peter Dunne
The Government’s
announcement last
week that it was
removing the requirement
that Quota Refugees
from Africa and the Middle
East regions must have
family already living in New
Zealand before they can be
considered for resettlement
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here was significant.
This move abolishes a
discrimination that has been
in place under current immigration
policy and while it is
to be applauded, it is a timely
reminder nonetheless that
there are still many aspects
of our Immigration Policy
that are unfair or at best
unevenly applied.
During my more than thirty
years in Parliament, immigration
cases consistently
accounted for between twothirds
and three-quarters of
my electorate workload.
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I came to the considered
view during that time, under
successive Labour- and
National-led governments,
that our Immigration Policy
was essentially racist.
While New Zealand’s
approach was never as explicit
or as total as Australia’s
notorious “White Australia”
policy that lasted until the
advent of the Whitlam Government
in 1972, the effect
until comparatively recently
was broadly the same.
Racist approach
In my experience, it was
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consistently more difficult
to win cases (on behalf of
constituents) for people
coming from the Pacific, Asia,
the Indian subcontinent and
the Middle East and Africa,
than it was for those from
Britain, Europe, Canada and
the United States.
In part, it was the policy,
and in part it was the attitude
of officials who were always
more inherently suspicious
of the cases of people who
were not from the “white”
countries. Appreciation of
differing cultural norms was
virtually zero, with applicants
simply expected to fit the New
Zealand template immediately,
and to be treated with
wariness and disdain if they
did not.
Refugees and parents of
New Zealand residents from
outside the “white” countries
were usually the hardest
cases to advance. This is
despite most of the evidence
which shows that migrants
to New Zealand from refugee
backgrounds often make the
strongest of contributions to
our society, enriching it in so
many ways.
Yet non-quota refugees’ stories
were usually disbelieved.
I was even asked on one
occasion to get confirming
evidence from authorities in
Saddam Hussein’s Iraq that
they were in fact subjecting
a couple seeking to join children
here to the persecution
they were claiming!
At the same time, parents
wanting to join children in
New Zealand were always
assumed to be harbouring
illnesses that would prove
costly to our health system,
or, if they wished to make a
short-term visit, that when
the time came, they would
just never go home.
Small but significant step
Last week’s move was a
small but significant step
forward, but there is still
a mighty long way to go
to make the New Zealand
immigration system truly fair
and justly applied.
One area where the
Government could move
relatively easily relates to
parents.
It has just restored the
Parents’ Visa, but limited it to
1000 applicants a year, who
are financially independent.
However, the change will
have limited effect and is cold
comfort to many migrants
seeking family reunification,
but who will not qualify
under this policy.
Our policy needs to go
further and allow all parents
of New Zealand permanent
residents and citizens an
automatic right to short-term
entry or residence, subject
to the standard health and
character requirements. This
would deal in one fell swoop
to the many cases of parents
wanting to make short-term
visits to see children or
grandchildren, or attend
family events like weddings,
reunions, or funerals which
arouse too many suspicions
in the minds of immigration
officials at present, and
currently lead to so many
disappointments when their
applications are declined, or
the events have passed by.
Balancing factors
It would also make it easier
for children wanting to bring
elderly parents to New Zealand
to look after them, thus
easing the current problem
of remittances to home
countries, in Asia and the
Pacific especially, as well as
providing basic peace of mind
to so many. It will not open
the immigration floodgates,
nor will it create significant
burdens for the New Zealand
taxpayer, because of the current
restrictions on things like
eligibility for superannuation.
Rather, it is simply the right
thing to do.
Britain’s noble expression
of regret to the descendants
of Cook’s victims, and the
Government’s encouraging
immigration changes are
worthwhile first steps, both
holding the promise of more
to come.
Just as important, and the
real test of the policy commitment
in both cases, however,
will be what comes next.
For full text of the above
article, please visit www.
indiannewslink.co.nz.
Published under a Special
Agreement with Newsroom.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
National List MPbased
in
Manukau East
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OCTOBER 15, 2019
New ETA for visitors to New Zealand
Tougher border rules to improve efficiency and safety
Visitors will be unable
to travel to New
Zealand without a
new Electronic Travel
Authority (ETA) as tougher
border rules went live on
October 1, 2019.
Up to 1.7 million travellers
from 60 countries who previously
did not need a visa will
now be required to declare
their passport details and any
criminal history before they
can travel.
The government has spent
$5 million on a domestic
and international marketing
campaign to make sure people
are not stopped at the gates.
Routine chore
Board of Airline Representatives
New Zealand Executive
Director Justin Tighe-Umbers
said that about 4000 to 5000
travellers would need an ETA
each day.
“The key risk is passengers
going to the airport without an
ETA. Look, we have all been
there travelling, looking forward
to your flight and then
to find out you have not got a
critical piece of documentation
can be really stressful,” Mr
Tighe-Umbers said.
“Obviously, that is not
a great impact for visitor
experience to New Zealand
so this really does come down
to the success of the comms
campaign.”
Tourism Industry Aotearoa
Chief Executive Chris Roberts
said that getting an ETA was
becoming a routine chore for
RNZ Photo: 123rf.com
international travellers.
Travellers from UK
“We are seeing other
countries introducing ETA; so,
it will become more common.
But for markets like the UK,
who have always been able
to jump on a plane and come
to New Zealand, there would
be a little bit more planning
required, you have to pay up
front - essentially get permission
to come to New Zealand
now - so that will take a little
bit of time to get used to, but
we certainly hope it comes in
as smoothly as possible.”
The tourism industry had
been working with Immigration
New Zealand to minimise
any disruption, he said.
New Zealand and Australian
citizens, some transit passengers
and valid visa holders
don’t need an electronic travel
authority - everyone else does.
Travellers can request an
ETA online for a fee of $12 or
through a free app for $9.
Risk assessment
Immigration New Zealand
(INZ) Director of Policy
Integration Nick Aldous said
that the new system brought
the country’s border control
into line with international
best practice.
The $20 million project
means travellers will be
screened much earlier.
“At the moment, a lot
of visa free travellers are
only screened immediately
at check in and that gives our
border officers very little time
to assess risk.”
But under the new process,
that information would be
made available when an ETA
request was made, he said.
The government was taking
no chances and will have
about 30 Immigration NZ
staff stationed around major
international airports to help passengers and
airline staff for the next month, Mr Aldous
said.
Mr Tighe-Umbers welcomed the added
help.
“For airlines, it can be an expensive process
repatriating people who are not allowed
to cross the border from New Zealand so the
benefit there is; it is clear that it’s going to cut
down on the number of incidences where
that occurs,” he said.
Quick approval
An ETA request can take as little as ten
minutes, but INZ recommends allowing up to
72 hours for processing.
So far, 196,000 requests have been made
with almost all gaining quick approval -
that’s nearly double the number of people
expected to need one this month.
While the uptake in most countries has
been good, Mr Aldous said it had been slower
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03
in Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.
“We picked up on that quite early and
have been focusing a lot of our marketing
and communications efforts in those
markets. Over the last three or four weeks,
those numbers have really picked up, they’re
in the process of catching up at the moment,”
Mr Aldous said.
“Being aware of that’s been very good for
us cos that’s enabled us to put staff on the
ground and they should be able to manage
any non compliance.”
There is hope it will be a smooth process,
but the government and industry say they
won’t know until people start to check in.
Tess Brunton is Tourism Reporter at Radio
New Zealand. The above Report and Picture
have been published under a Special
Arrangement with www.rnz.co.nz
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04
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Homelink
New immigration policy a war on Indian migrants
Alastair McClymont
The government has opened
a new front in the war
on Indian migrants in the
same week that they have
announce that the Parent Category
is reserved only for the wealthy.
For a year, Partnership applications
have been sitting unprocessed
with Immigration New Zealand
(INZ) in Mumbai.
INZ have trotted out a litany of
excuses for these delays including
blaming it on internal restructures,
staffing shortages and even the
Christchurch Mosque attack.
The reality however has now
become clearer, with INZ having
worked on a reinterpretation of
immigration policy which ensures
that people from the Indian
subcontinent living and working in
New Zealand may no longer be able
to return to their home country to
marry and sponsor their partners to
New Zealand.
Euro-centric Policy
Immigration policy around Partnership
applications has remained
the same for a long time with the
requirement that a couple should
be living together in a genuine and
stable partnership.
The policy and its definition of
a Partnership has always had a
cultural bias against non-Europeans,
based on the idea that the couple
have already begun living together
and building a life as a couple
before applying together for visas
According to Census 2018, there were more than 220,000 Indians in New Zealand. (Picture
Credit: Auckland Diwali Festival-aucklandnz.com).
to New Zealand, or in a situation
where a New Zealand resident or
citizen living and working overseas
and wishes to return home with his
or her new partner.
Insensitive to Culture
Immigration Policy around Partnerships
has never been reflective
of the cultural practice found in
the Indian Subcontinent where
students, workers or migrants settle
in New Zealand first, establish a
home, employment and income and
then return to their home country to
marry, often to a partner of their extended
families choosing or at least
approval, before sponsoring their
new partner for a visa to return to
New Zealand after the sponsor has
returned to New Zealand for work.
However, INZ have, in the past,
taken a practical approach when
applying Immigration Policy to these
distinct cultural practices by accepting
that Indian marriages frequently
have a different way of developing,
often with couples spending only a
limited period of time together before
their engagement or marriage.
Stability of Indian marriages
It is often reported that India has
one of the lowest divorce rates in
the world and in comparison to
those divorce rates New Zealand,
the stability of Indian marriages is
significantly stronger.
A partnership must be genuine
and stable. Genuine Indian
marriages have a significantly
higher success rate than in New
Zealand. Immigration New Zealand
acknowledges that the relationships
are genuine, yet applications are
declined because the sponsor has
returned home to New Zealand to
work and make a home for their
new family.
The Mumbai office of INZ is now
ploughing through a massive backlog
of Indian applications in a very
simple way: If the sponsor didn’t
stay behind in India after marriage,
and wait for the visa decision, then
application declined. This would
appear to be the message made clear
from Wellington.
So, returning home to work, save
money and wait for the partner’s
visa is now the sole ground for
declining those visas.
INZ are making it clear to the
Indian community that if they want
to return to their home country,
marry and sponsor their partner,
then they must quit their job, leave
their home, leave their life in New
Zealand and resettle back in India;
living with their new partner and
waiting the six to 12 months that
it is taking them to process Visa
applications before returning as a
couple.
INZ couldn’t be bothered
At the same time however,
sponsors of partners must prove
that they have the financial means
and accommodation to support their
partner.
This of course is difficult to do;
the sponsor has quit their job, leave
their home in New Zealand to
returned to India to live with their
new partner.
Immigration decisions declining
visas under this new reinterpretation
of Policy clearly show
that marriages are recognised as
genuine, applications often being
accompanied by photographs and
DVDs showing enormous time and
expense.
INZ have no concerns about the
genuine nature of the marriage
and yet Visas are declined solely
on the grounds that the sponsor
has returned to New Zealand to
work whilst waiting for the Visa
applications to be processed.
Over the last decade, we have seen
a practical, common-sense approach
to Indian Partnership Visas through
recognition of how partnerships are
developed, the focus on issues such
as credibility, indicators of a genuine
marriage and most importantly
recognition of the fact that sponsors
need to return to New Zealand to
their home and work whilst waiting
for Visa decisions.
Abrupt U-Turn
That has now changed with an
abrupt U-turn, the reasons for which
we can only speculate.
We know that the Labour government
expected a reduction of 20,000
to 30,000 nett migrants a year.
We know that (Deputy Prime
Minister) Winston Peters has been
bragging to his followers about the
lowest number of resident visas
granted in 20 years.
On all aspects of the immigration
system, we see the Indian community
targeted.
These developments and Partnership
Visas would strongly suggest
an underlying strategy to reduce
migration numbers through specific
targeting of the Indian community.
The Policy is being interpreted in
such a way as to drive Indians out
of New Zealand, either back to their
own country or to third country like
Canada.
How will this change? As the
Prime Minister makes her annual
appearance at Diwali events this
year, she will take very careful
note of members of the Indian
community.
Ask Jacinda, “Why are you doing
this?”
Alastair McClymont is an
Immigration Law Specialist at Mc-
Clymont & Associates, Barrister &
Solicitors based in Auckland.
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OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diploma courses face abolition
John Gerritsen
Significant and persistent
quality problems centred on
foreign students could see an
entire class of qualification
abolished.
The New Zealand Qualifications
Authority (NZQA) is considering
the future of Level 7 diplomas, oneyear
qualifications that sit at the
same Level of the Qualifications
Framework as a Bachelor’s degree.
Concern over quality
Consultation papers highlighted
problems associated with the rapid
proliferation of the diplomas as a
qualification favoured by foreign
students.
An NZQA Consultation Paper
said that the main issue associated
with this qualification type is that
there are some persistent and
on-going quality concerns.
“Whilst there appears to be a
strong need for Level 7 diplomas
in some industries, some have
recently been used as a fast track
to residency for international
students. This led to an increase
in provision, and subsequent concerns
about international students’
English language proficiency,” it
said.
Another document said: “Since
external monitoring of Level 7
diplomas commenced in 2016,
a number of significant issues
with English language testing and
assessment practice have been
identified.”
However, the documents
also noted that immigration rules
changed in December last year and
the authority had strengthened its
monitoring activities.
Options being considered
NZQA Acting Deputy Chief Ex-
RNZ Photo 123RF
ecutive for Quality Assurance Eve
McMahon said that the Authority
was considering options including
abolishing the diplomas altogether,
or retaining them but changing
monitoring requirements and
reviewing each of the existing
qualifications.
“The main thing with the Level
7 diplomas is that they are not a
degree qualification, but they sit at
the same Level as degree qualifications
and a part of our thinking
was do we need both or do we just
need degree Level qualifications at
Level 7,” she said.
NZQA figures showed that in
2017 there were 2550 equivalent
full-time students enrolled in the
Programmes, of which 1520 were
foreign students.
Executive General Manager
Academic and Provost at Manukau
Institute of Technology, Martin
Carroll said that changes to work
visas and residence rules had reduced
foreign student enrolments
in Level 7 diplomas.
He said that the qualifications
were aimed at skill shortage areas
and they had value for domestic
students too.
Proposal opposed
“So, there is a reason for having
the Programme; it was not simply
a fast-track to residency for international
students as some people
have claimed,” he said.
Professor Carroll said that the
Level 7 diploma should be retained
because students in vocational
education and training should be
able to find vocational qualifications
at every Level of the Qualifications
Framework.
“We want to keep these smaller
packages of learning, these certificates
and diplomas, at every Level of
the framework so, they don’t need to
disrupt their career for a period of
three or four years in order to access
higher Levels of learning,” he said.
Aspire2 Chief Executive Clare
Bradley said that half of the
private tertiary institute’s first-time
international students were enrolled
in Level 7 diplomas.
She said that axing the qualifications
would hurt enrolments and
that it would take time to divert
future students into other courses.
“Turning it on its head would be
quite complex and time-consuming
and certainly expensive for providers
to adjust. It means reorganising
a lot of our messaging, for us that
is in about 30 different markets,
and re-educating our recruitment
networks,” she said.
Attractive to foreign students
Ms Bradley said the option of
studying for a year and then working
in New Zealand was attractive
for a lot of foreign students.
Since 2016 the Qualifications
Authority had taken a more stringent
approach to monitoring the
programmes, and that had driven
some providers out of business, she
said.
John Gerritsen is Education
Correspondent at Radio New
Zealand. The above Report and
Picture have been published
under a Special Arrangement with
www.rnz.co.nz
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06
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Educationlink
Programme to lift low decile students to Varsity
Supplied Content
Promising students from four low decile
Auckland schools will have a better chance
of achieving University Entrance, thanks
to a gift from the Buchanan Charitable
Foundation to a University of Auckland initiative.
For the past decade, the University, through
the Faculty of Education and Social Work (EDSW)
Woolf Fisher Research Centre, The Centre for
Educational Leadership and The Starpath Project,
has been conducting long-term research into the
factors that enhance success at secondary school
and entry into university education, for students
from under-represented groups.
Support and Advocacy
Informed by that work, a new Programme
has been designed to enable greater success at
University Entrance (UE) by providing academic
support and advocacy for students and their
families, and by giving students regular access to
role models with whom they identify and who
are successful in university education.
Former EDSW Dean and current University
of Auckland Director, Educational Initiatives
Professor Graeme Aitken has been central to
developing the Programme.
“We are often disappointed with the numbers
attending university from lower decile schools.
Just 17% of students in decile one and two schools
in New Zealand achieved UE in 2016, compared
with 69% in deciles nine and ten,” he said.
“While university education is not for
everyone, the reality is that we will not turn
around the access statistics unless we work with
schools to provide support that raises aspirations
and equips students with the skills and tools to
successfully complete secondary school and then
transition to university.”
Buying Teachers’ time
Launched at Alfriston College in South
Auckland recently, the Programme will involve
‘buying’ the time of senior teachers across the
four schools to work closely with the students,
with a focus on supporting achievement in
subjects that will give them access to university.
Dr Parmjeet Parmar, National
List MP based in Mt Roskill
invites you to share your views
at an afternoon tea with
Simon Bridges, Leader
of the Opposition
The stakeholders (from left) Robert Solomone, Professor Graeme Aitken, Trevor & Caroline Gray and University of
Auckland Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon (Picture Supplied)
These senior leaders will be the students’
problem-solvers, advocates, and allies as they
navigate their way through NCEA. This support
from school leadership will be coupled with mentoring
from students who have graduated from
their school and are now successfully engaged in
university study.
The longer-term hope is that the mentored
students will in turn become university student
mentors at their old schools.
Achieving positive impact
Dr Trevor Gray and Dr Caroline Gray of the
Buchanan Foundation approached the University,
interested in helping students at low-decile
schools pursue tertiary study.
“By enabling promising senior school students
to explore a clearer path to university, and
giving them the necessary support, we hope to
equip them with tools to achieve their dreams of
academic and career success,” they said.
In doing so, this Programme should have
a positive impact on their families, friends,
communities and future generations. In this
sense, education is indeed ‘the gift that keeps on
giving,” they said.
Changing lives
Alfriston College Principal Robert Solomone
believes that Programme has the potential to
change the lives of his students.
“Many of our learners need to see for themselves
the potential that others see in them, and
a programme like this will help us do this even
Imagine if you could influence funding for
the healthcare you receive, or for the schools
your children attend, with just a few strokes
of your pen.
That’s what the census does, along with other
things like help set the size of Parliament, and
that’s why it was so concerning to hear last week
that 1 in 6 New Zealand residents didn’t complete
the 2018 census questionnaire when the results
were released.
For most of us, the idea of a census isn’t exactly
sexy.
Many of us fill out our forms without understanding
why we’re doing it or what difference it
makes, but the information it provides is part of
the lifeblood of policy-making, service planning,
and resource allocation.
Useful information
Census data is used to determine who we
are, how many of us there are, and how public
services can best do their job and manage
competing interests.
Population-based funding formulas, for example,
use information about the population size
and makeup of a particular area to determine
the breakdown of funding for District Health
Boards.
Census data is also used to determine the
weighting of school deciles which impacts the
funding that schools receive.
The results, population breakdown, and
forecasting are also necessary for policy-makers
and local government to evaluate major projects
and determine which infrastructure or project
should be the highest priority.
New Electorate planned
Even the number and boundaries of electorate
better,” he said.
As well as Alfriston College, the other school involved
are Aorere College, Onehunga High School, and
Tangaroa College.
The Foundation’s gift of $1.867 million will fund the
pilot project over the next four years. It was received as
part of the University of Auckland’s For All Our Futures
campaign.
About For All Our Futures
New Zealand’s most ambitious fundraising campaign,
For All Our Futures was launched in September
2016 aiming to raise $300 million to put towards
Programmes, Research and Scholarships to help the
University of Auckland contribute to some of the
biggest questions facing society today.
Some Questions
Questions posed include: Can we stop wasting talent?
Can we dramatically improve cancer survival rates?
Can we have clear rivers and seas? Can we prepare
young New Zealanders to be global citizens and
influencers?
Donors, trusts and foundations, alumni, staff, and
friends of the University have contributed to the
campaign, indicating the areas they wish to support.
A majority of the gifts have been made for a specific
purpose, from funding significant chairs of study to
supporting scholarship initiatives.
The campaign closes on October 31, 2019 and the
final total will be announced on November 21, 2019.
Public apathy over Census leads
to confusing decisions
Danielle van Dalen
seats are determined by census results.
For example, population growth has meant
the introduction of a new electorate for the North
Island.
The 2018 census results have barely been
released and we’re already seeing how gaps in
the data affect essential activities.
For example, National have criticised forming
the new electorate based on insufficient data, low
Māori turnout and a potential misrepresentation
of the population is leading to fears about loss of
funding for the Gisborne based Tairāwhiti DHB,
and late release of census data has meant the
“recalculation of school deciles“ will be based on
outdated 2013 census results and school funding
might not accurately represent the needs of a
given region.
Learning Lessons
It’s essential then that New Zealand responds
to the flaws of the 2018 census. Much has
been said about government failure, including
arguments about inadequate funding, the administrative
flaws of government agencies charged
with collecting census data, and the weaknesses
of the online collection process, leading to the
recent resignation of Government Statistician Liz
MacPherson.
But the rest of us also need to take seriously
our own role and responsibility in data collection
and fill out our census forms.
We need to pay attention to, understand, and
participate in the process. If we appreciate and
understand what the census is for we’ll be much
more motivated to participate and encourage
others to do the same.
The Government needs to play its part, but
so do we. Statistics, data collection, and census
results might not be sexy, but we can’t expect
government to serve us well if we don’t give it
the information it needs.
Danielle van Dalen is a Researcher at the
Auckland-based Maxim Institute.
Wednesday 9 October 2.30pm
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OCTOBER 15, 2019
Educationlink
MIT Graduate Diploma takes graduate on career path
Supplied Content
Daniel Rajamanohar has
just secured a job he
hopes will make a big difference
in the lives of
many New Zealanders.
The 24-year-old only arrived in
the country last July, but in that
time has successfully completed
his Graduate Diploma of Data
Analytics at the Manukau Institute
of Technology and was recently appointed
to the role of data analyst
with IHC.
The organisation is New
Zealand’s largest provider of services
to people with intellectual
disabilities and their families offering
residential care, supported living,
social housing, specialist and
vocational support.
Demand for Data Analysts
‘I am excited. I cannot really explain
how I feel. It is going to be a
real challenge. I am inspired to do
the work,”
There is a big demand right now
for data analysts.
Individuals who can mine the
right data, interpret it and present
their findings to management
so they can have that all important
‘aha’ moment solving a problem,
are highly valuable to any
employer.
Equipping Graduates
At Manukau Institute of
Technology (MIT), we pride ourselves
in equipping our graduates
with the hands-on skills industry is
Daniel Manohar (Picture Supplied)
looking for so they can contribute
in the workplace from day one.
Many of the graduate diploma
classes already have qualifications
and on-the-job experience.
In Daniel’s case, this was a
Bachelor of Computer Science
earned in Chennai as well as
working as a developer for Data
Consultant Services looking at
ways companies could make cost
savings.
‘That triggered me to look at
higher study in the field of data analytics.
So, I opted for New Zealand
and MIT, which has very good academics
in data analytics,’ he said.
It is our job to make sure these
experienced, well-trained students
who come through the Diploma
are challenged and learn skills allowing
them to reach for the career
advancement they’re looking for.
We do not produce geeks. We focus
on applied teaching so graduates
can work in a business with
people to help find answers to their
problems to improve performance.
Robust Internship
Internships offered through MIT
are very often where it all comes
together. These are available at
a range of top companies, but in
Daniel’s case he was offered one
at MIT working on our student
database.
Here, he learned more about machine
learning, data integration
software – Talend and data visualization
tool, Power BI and would
particularly like to thank principal
lecturer, Fadi Fayez, for his support
with assignments and research.
This experience was not only
valuable to his education, but also
came up in his job interview with
IHC.
“I recommend this as one of the
MIT School of Digital Technologies Senior Lecturer Michael Thompson
(Picture Supplied)
best institute’s in New Zealand.
It’s a one-year course. You study
Level 7. But the skills are the same
as what you would get in Level 9
Masters,’ Daniel said.
IHC Chief Information Officer
Mike Hughes said it’s great to have
someone like Daniel, with his qualifications
and experience on board.
“We believe data is a critical
component to enable the IHC
group to provide the best and most
responsive disability and housing
services into the future. Our sectors
are changing rapidly, and we
need the best analysis to ensure we
are delivering on meeting people’s
changing expectations,” he said.
Passion to help others
One of the most pleasing aspects
of his success is it allows Daniel to
apply his skills in helping others,
something he is passionate about.
Back home in India, he would
07
visit orphanages and aged care
homes as part of corporate social
responsibility.
‘I am really passionate to help
people. Some people need a bit
more support to be able to achieve
the same things as others and it
feels great to be able to do my part.
The values I have are the same as
the organisation (IHC).’
India was the first country in the
world to make corporate social responsibility
mandatory. It requires
big companies to spend a percentage
of their net profits on advancing
social issues including poverty
alleviation, education and the gender
pay gap.
As an institute, we are just
thrilled for Daniel, proud that an
MIT graduate was chosen for this
job and look forward to the work
he will do on behalf of this important
organisation for the benefit of
the community.
Manukau Institute of
Technology is the Sponsor of
the ‘Business Excellence in
International Trade with India’
Category of the Twelfth Annual
Indian Newslink Indian Business
Awards. Tickets (priced at $150
plus GST per person and tables
seating ten persons each
at $1500 plus GST per table) to
the Awards Night, scheduled to
be held on Monday, November
25, 2019 at SkyCity Convention
Centre are available. Please call
021-836528 or email venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
OPEN
DAY
19 OCTOBER 2019
Talk to our experienced subject experts, enjoy free
hot food, interactive activities, games and lots more.
10am–2pm, cnr of Manukau Station Rd and Davies Ave.
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MKT209_14b

08
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Fijilink
TINZ supports Fiji to fight corruption in Sports
Sourced Content
Fiji Khalsa College alumni meet in Auckland
At Mangere United Football Club, Mangere on November 23
Transparency International New
Zealand (TINZ) Chair, Suzanne
Snively visited “Civic Leaders
for Clean Transactions Integrity
Fiji” (CLCT Integrity Fiji) last month
to work together on an approach to
address corruption.
While there, she was invited as
the guest speaker by the Fiji National
Sport Commission Talanoa.
Corruption in sport
She discussed how integral sport is
within the DNA of both Fiji and New
Zealand.
Both countries have excellent
athletes and take a great deal of pride
in their successes.
Because of this, it is important to
avoid the tendency to turn a blind eye
when it comes to cheating at sport.
Particularly vulnerable are our
youth and teens where the rules about
the use of performance enhancing
drugs are unclear or non-existent.
Many experience long term health
issues and dependencies that disqualify
them at the professional level if
they succeed in getting there.
Youth are also vulnerable because
they can be tempted by relatively
small sums of money.
Online gambling challenges
With the growth of on-line
gambling, led by corrupt individuals,
young people involved in sport,
even from small, rural teams, can be
groomed and bribed to fix a game.
It is critical to deal with issues of
integrity in sport now. It is important
that all our athletes learn to compete
fairly, and we work to keep drugs,
corruption, fraud and bribery out of
sport.
Practical steps needed
The Fiji Sun covered the event Put it
into practice, says Snively in the same
Transparency International New Zealand
Chair Suzanne Snively
edition that covered the Fiji
Airways Flying Fijians team’s
initial game at the Rugby World
Cup.
Ms Snively’s visit to Fiji was
arranged by CLCT Integrity Fiji
who have developed a partnership
with the Fiji National Sport
Commission. The latter provides
sport governance policies to all
45 sporting bodies.
Governance integrity
workshop
While in Suva, Ms Snively
facilitated a governance workshop
for the CLCT Integrity Fiji
team to assist in contextualising
their anti-corruption work.
The topics covered included
(a) Policies around governance
and behaviour (b) Innovative
ideas about fund raising (c) Suggestions
for improvements to
their Strategic Plan 2020-2022.
Transparency International
New Zealand and CLCT
Integrity Fiji have a long history
of working together to oppose
corruption in the Pacific.
Source: Transparency Times
(October 2019) of Transparency
International New Zealand.
Thakur
Ranjit Singh
The common belief in Fiji is that
there is something in the dusts, the
waters, the soils and environment
of Ba, that those coming from that
district tend to excel in whatever they do.
The town has given most businessmen
millionaires, number of writers and
authors, scholars, politicians, and its
biggest feat lies in its craze for Soccer, and
holding the unbeaten records in Fiji.
Lately, Secondary Schools are known to
have held international school reunions.
Xavier College, DAV College and Khalsa
College have been in the news for its
reunions.
Refreshing initiative
High decile non-Indian high schools in
Fiji have been known to hold reunions,
like Suva Grammar, Natabua College,
Jasper Williams and Xavier College,
among others.
But Indian and Girmitya-origin schools
have almost been unheard of doing this.
However, DAV College in Ba broke this
drought with its three respective continuous
biennial reunions in Vancouver Canada
in April 2015, Auckland New Zealand in
2017 and the latest one in Fiji in July 2019.
Khalsa College is also held one locally-based
reunion in Sacramento, USA in 2018.
The origins
Where did Khalsa Auckland reunion
begin?
In late 2018, students of DAV and Khalsa
Colleges of 1970s, Sadasivan Naicker and
Thakur Ranjit Singh jointly mooted the idea
and Satish Chand, the current Secretary also
came on board motivating the concept to
become reality.
An Organising Committee has been set
up.
Members of the Organising Committee (from left) Dinesh Chand (Vice President), Madhavan Raman (President),
Satish Chand (Secretary). Standing (from left) Shashi Kala Singh, Asha Singh (Assistant and Samila Chand (Picture
by Thakur Ranjit Singh)
We were fortunate to have the students
of the formative year of 1959 and a former
Senior Civil Servant to lead us.
Madhavan Raman, the bright scholar
from class of 1959 is our President, ably supported
by an Auckland Soccer personality
Dinesh Chand as Vice-President.
Satish Chand was elected Secretary
while Asha Singh is supporting him as his
assistant.
I was appointed Media and Communications
Spokesperson, with a two team
Committee members, namely, Samila
Chand and Shashi Kala Singh.
This small team of dedicated Committee
Members have taken this mammoth task
of bringing together scattered children of
Khalsa College, Ba, and fulfil a long-held
dream of having a reunion in Auckland.
Sharing memories, experiences
There was a desire to create an opportunity
for Khalsa College ex-students to meet their
old classmates, walk down memory lane,
share life experiences and laugh and cry
together, and have a great party before the
older ones pass on. And most importantly,
to celebrate the legacy of Khalsa College and
salute those visionary Sikh leaders.
About Khalsa College
Khalsa College, Ba, Fiji was established
in 1959 by an enterprising group of
Sikhs who saw education as a means to
bringing success to their children and future
generations.
We honour those stalwarts and teachers
particularly Jogindar Singh Kanwal,
the first substantive Principal whose
dedication and hard work brought such
lasting success to this proud institution.
The Khalsa Reunion event will be held
at the Mangere United Football Club,
(Mangere Centre Park), 101 Robertson
Road, Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand
on November 23, 2019 from 630 pm to
1130 pm.
We have a very fitting venue in the
picturesque Mangere with open sprawling
sports fields and very presentable hall,
with opportunity for people to mix and
mingle outside on the stadium for sharing
and reliving on school secrets, those jokes
and hilarious and serious events. This is
turning up to be a night full of fun, drinks,
delicious food and meeting the long-lost
mates.
We are looking forward to meeting
all of you in Auckland at the event, the
tickets for which are available worldwide
on Eventbrite or by email thakurji@xtra.
co.nz .
Thakur Ranjit Singh is a Journalist and
Media Commentator and runs his blog,
‘Fiji Pundit.’ He and his wife Shashi
Kala Singh attended Khalsa College for
one year in 1974. They live in Auckland,
New Zealand.
Email: thakurji@xtra.co.nz

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Businesslink
09
John Key faces choice over banking role
Guyon Espiner
Former Prime Minister
Sir John Key could be
forced to stand down
from one of his banking
roles because of a potential
conflict of interest.
Sir John chairs ANZ New
Zealand and sits on the board of
its parent bank in Australia.
Reserve Bank Governor
Adrian Orr said that the
Trans-Tasman roles held by Sir
John at ANZ and BNZ chairman
Doug McKay, who holds similar
roles, could raise questions
over whose interests are
pre-eminent.
Mr Orr said that if an Australian
parent company got into
trouble and a Director sat on
the Australian and New Zealand
boards and the Australian
board wanted to bring money
back from New Zealand, it
would be difficult for a Director
to act in the best interests of
both boards at the same time.
A big concern
“My biggest concerns with
boards is in whose interests are
they working? Are they working
for the parent shareholder,
or the subsidiary shareholder ...
that’s a real critical challenge,”
he said.
Mr Orr had already indicated
he was planning to rein in the
big four Australian-owned
banks - ANZ, BNZ, ASB and
ANZ New Zealand Chairman and
Former Prime Minister John Key
(RNZ Photo by Dan Cook)
Westpac - as he believed they
were making too much money
and posed too much risk to the
financial system.
Mr Orr wanted them to
hang on to more of their own
cash in New Zealand to ensure
greater financial resilience. He
was proposing doubling the
minimum amount of capital
held to 16 percent, though he
said he had yet to decide the
exact amount or timing.
Banks’s submission
The big four Australian-owned
banks all refused
to be interviewed for RNZ’s
Insight investigation into banking,
but their representative
organisation, the Bankers’
Association, commissioned
former Treasury boss Graham
Scott to write a submission
on the Reserve Bank’s capital
proposals.
He argued that requiring
banks to hold twice as much
Reserve Bank of New Zealand
Governor Adrian Orr (RNZ Photo by
Claire Eastham-Farrelly)
money in reserve would cost
the economy about $1.8 billion
a year and could lead banks to
pull money out of the country.
“Those big banks will have
an expected rate of return on
their investment in all their
activities around the world and
if the New Zealand subsidiary
is not producing that rate over
time, then they’ll disinvest in it
over time one way or another,”
Mr Scott said.
While Mr Orr is considering
making banking directors
choose between New Zealand
and Australia, he was not
touting the move as a high
priority and no decisions had
been made.
Guyon Espiner is Investigative
Reporter (In Depth)
at Radio New Zealand. The
above story and Picture
have been published under
a Special Agreement with
www.rnz.co.nz
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09 622 2660
priyanca@parliament.govt.nz
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10
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Businesslink
Door opens ajar for migrant workers’ parents
The government is re-opening
and re-setting the visa
programme for parents of
migrant workers wanting to
come to New Zealand.
The Visa, which applies to skilled
migrants, was frozen by the National
government in October 2016.
Important changes
As of October 7, 2019, the old
Parent Category scheme is gone and
a new one will open in February,
capping the number at 1000 people.
The financial requirements will
increase and will be based on the
adult child’s income rather than
their parents’.
The ability for a parent to gain
residency through having a guaran-
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway
(RNZ Photo)
teed lifetime income or settlement
funds will be removed, but parents
will still be required to meet health
and character requirements.
Those with current applications
pending will be able to update them
and keep their current place in
the queue, while those no longer
eligible will be able to apply for a
full refund.
Immigration Minister Iain
Lees-Galloway told Morning Report
that the visa had been reopened
because it would help attract and
retain highly skilled migrants who
were valued in New Zealand.
However, the income criteria
would change, he said.
Financial capability
“A single person wanting to
sponsor one parent they will need to
be earning twice the median income
which is $104,000 a year.”
The parent wouldn’t need to
demonstrate their own ability to
support themselves, as required
previously.
“What’s important is the adult
migrant who is sponsoring them
is able to demonstrate that they
have the resources to sponsor their
parent.”
Mr Lees-Galloway said that people
would still need to have been in
the country for a minimum of 10
years before becoming eligible for
superannuation.
Other criteria
Those coming under the parent
category would be subject to the
health and character checks just like
any other migrant would.
He said these changes wouldn’t
mean an increase in migrant
numbers.
“Amongst the residency visas that
are issued in the family category,
1000 of those will be set aside for
parents. So it affects the mix of
people who are coming, not necessarily
the number of people who are
coming.”
He said that he was working in a
government made up of three different
parties and in adherence to the
Coalition Agreement and Confidence
and Supply Agreement.
“This government has never had a
target for immigration numbers.”
Published under a Special Agreement
with www.rnz.co.nz
Tinkering with Superannuation will precipitate public ire
Peter Dunne
In 1984, when the fourth
Labour Government introduced
its now infamous
tax surcharge of 25 cents
in the dollar on additional
income above $100 a week
for those in receipt of National
Superannuation, it was claimed
that about only a quarter of superannuitants
would be affected
– the actual figure turned
out to be 23% - and that very,
very few of them would lose the
equivalent of all their National
Superannuation.
Angry reaction
In the heat of the time, that
claim was largely disbelieved as
much greater numbers of superannuitants,
thinking that their retirement
income would be more
than it actually was, believed
they had been adversely affected
and reacted angrily accordingly.
Then, there were just under
400,000 National
Superannuitants, accounting for
12% of the population. National
immediately promised to repeal
Labour’s surcharge, only to replace
it with its own version in
1991.
Superannuitants’ outrage was
predictable and immediate, leading
not only to the establishment
of Grey Power but also contributed
to the birth of New Zealand
First to fight for the abolition of
the surcharge. That eventually
occurred in 1997, leaving both
the Labour and National Parties
of the time with massive credibility
scars for their handling of the
issue over the years.
National’s timidity
Since then, universal entitlement
to New Zealand
Superannuation (as it is now
known) has been restored and
no major political Party has been
brave (or foolish) enough to tamper
with that. National’s commitment
since 2017 to gradually
increase the age of entitlement
to 67 by 2037 is perhaps the biggest
potential move, but it is timid
by the standards of Labour’s 1984
and National’s 1991 changes.
Now that the current government
has resumed contributions
to the so-called Cullen Fund to future
proof superannuation payments
from 2025, an uneasy
consensus appears to reign on superannuation
policy.
In the meantime, the raw numbers
of those in receipt of New
Zealand Superannuation have
risen around 95% since 1984 to
just under 770,000, and their proportion
of the population is up by
a third to around 16%.
Perhaps it was that growth and
projections that it will increase
in the future to around 1,430,000
New Zealand superannuitants
by 2050, around 21% of the total
projected population then, that
has influenced the University
of Auckland’s Retirement Policy
and Research Centre to call for a
tax surcharge on higher income
earners receiving superannuation,
to cover the cost of their superannuation
payments.
Too hot to handle
Whatever economic and equity
considerations there might be in
favour of a proposal like this,
Continued on Page 11
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OCTOBER 15, 2019
Businesslink
11
Continued from Page 10
political reality means it or anything
like it is unlikely to fly. Too
many political parties and politicians
have been scared by the superannuation
experience of the
last couple of decades to want to
go anywhere what looks like a reintroduction
of the discredited
approach of the 1980s and 1990s.
Even though most of the generation
of politicians involved at
that time has moved on, the legacy
of the sense of betrayal and
antagonism engendered by those
earlier changes remains.
Importantly, it was often not
the superannuitants themselves
who felt most aggrieved, but
rather those approaching superannuation
who saw their potential
future income – and thus
their intended retirement standard
of living – being reduced, and
their children, worried about
how their parents might cope. It
would be just the same today.
The only way change of this
type could be progressed at this
time would be through some
form of multi-Party agreement,
but the chances of that occurring
are zero.
Apathy of Political Parties
For a start, no Party would
want to be seen to initiating a
move to tax superannuitants
more, and few others would be
keen to join them. There was a
brief accord between National
and Labour before the 1993 election
which quickly fell apart because
both saw richer pickings
in continuing to attack the other
over their earlier “treachery and
betrayal.”
There is no reason to think it
would be any different today.
Moreover, if ever there was
a cause to revitalise the flagging
fortunes of New Zealand
First, this would be it, and while
Labour, and it appears National
too, are prepared to cuddle up to
them as the price of gaining political
office, neither is so generous
as to gift them a whole generation
of voters in this way.
The rising numbers of older
New Zealanders presents
enough of a challenge for both
Labour and National anyway,
and while both are steadily moving
to recapture that ground, neither
can afford to alienate, for
whatever reason, that group of
voters on an issue as basic as
superannuation.
Now, while all this might appear
an overly cynical assessment,
it is nevertheless a political
reality. It is not to say, however,
that the preservation of vested
interests means that future discussions
of superannuation policy
are off the table, but, rather,
that if those discussions are to
have credibility, they need to be
couched in such a way to gain
broad political support.
Promoting KiwiSaver
Enhancing and promoting
KiwiSaver may well a prove a
starting point towards some common
ground.
Today, over 2,800,000 New
Zealanders are enrolled in
KiwiSaver and that number
is increasing steadily. Making
KiwiSaver contributions compulsory
for all those in the work
force would allow for a more
considered approach to be taken
to New Zealand Superannuation
over time.
Backing that up with an annuities
policy whereby KiwiSavers
could manage their investment
on a regular income stream basis
once their funds mature at
the age of 65, would mean that
the absolute reliance on New
Zealand Superannuation as the
major retirement income source
for so many would steadily reduce
over the years, and that
the climate for considering its
long term future would be more
congenial.
There is scope for Labour and
National to work together on
this ground, if they are of a genuine
mind to secure a stable retirement
income scene for the
future.
New Zealand Superannuation
is but one – albeit a very large
– part of the retirement income
mosaic. The mistake we have
made for more than a generation
now has been to treat it as the
whole picture. It is time to learn
from that, and to move forward.
Peter Dunne was a Minister of
the Crown under the Labour
and National-led governments
from November 1999
to September 2017. He founded
the UnitedFuture Party but
wound it up when retired from
Parliament. Mr Dunne lives in
Wellington.
Underbelly of graft and
dishonesty on the big screen
New Zealand International Fraud Film
Festival on November 13 & 14
The Third
New Zealand
International
Fraud Film
Festival 2019 will be held
in Auckland on November
13 and 14, 2019, with a
great line-up of films will
expose the underbelly of
fraud and its impact globally
and locally.
The two-day
Programme will explore
three main themes, namely
Corruption, Technology
and Dishonesty. Six films
will be screened on these
themes and the Festival
will include panel discussions,
examination of
scams, tax evasion, cyber-security,
corporate
culture, and art forgery.
Business focus
A full-day session on
Wednesday, November 13,
2019, will focus on business,
with New Zealand
premiere screenings of
four international films,
with lunch, opportunities
for individuals and teams
to network throughout
the day, and refreshments
and drinks following the
final film.
Public Focus
Local New Zealand impacts of fraud
will be highlighted in a free ‘Scam
Prevention with Fair Go’ session (email
registration required) at 10 am on
Thursday, November 14, 2019.
Tickets for the lunchtime screening
of The Panama Papers and the afternoon
screening of There are No Fakes
on Thursday, November 14, 2019 may be
purchased individually ($15) or as a pair
($25).
Creating awareness and debate
New Zealand International Fraud Film
Festival spokesperson Ian Tuke said that
the aim of the Festival is to educate people,
create awareness, and spark debate
around fraud prevention. ”At the same
time, it provides an opportunity to foster
cross-industry collaboration for the
key public and private sector organisations
involved in the fight against fraud,”
he adds.
For more information and to purchase
tickets, visit the Fraud Film Festival
website.
THE FUTURE OF
BUSINESS
STARTS HERE
DISCOVER YOUR OPTIONS
aut.ac.nz/studybusiness

12
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Viewlink
The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999)
ISSUE 425 | OCTOBER 15, 2019
Immigration Policy
should be equitable
It is easy to get emotional
on Immigration for, it
involves movement of
people, in most cases,
immediate members of the
family, partners, parents
and relatives.
No government anywhere
in the world has ever been
able to please everyone
when it changes rules,
practices and procedures.
Immigration Minister and
along with him the Labour
Party have been receiving
a lot of flak over the recent
decisions on Parents Visa
and Partner’s Visa; at best
the changes tighten the
procedures and ensures that
right people are allowed to
settle in New Zealand and
at worst, they are seen as
‘driving Indians out of the
country.’
Benefits of migration
The liberal case for
immigration is simply put.
Openness to newcomers is
morally right, economically
beneficial and culturally
enriching.
But to remain a
multicultural country,
our Immigration Policy
should be more equitable,
widespread and better
balanced.
As former Minister
Peter Dunne wrote, “Our
policy needs to go further
and allow all parents of
New Zealand permanent
residents and citizens an
automatic right to shortterm
entry or residence,
subject to the standard
health and character
requirements. This would
deal in one fell swoop to
the many cases of parents
wanting to make shortterm
visits to see children
or grandchildren, or attend
family events.”
The economic case
for migration is equally
compelling. Just as labour
mobility is desirable within
national borders, so too
across them. Allowing
people to move from poorer
countries to richer ones that
have more capital, superior
technologies and better
institutions boosts their
productivity and that of the
global economy.
Some are more willing to
do jobs that locals spurn,
such as picking fruit or
caring for the elderly.
Others have skills that
natives lack.
Welcome Back, Phil,
build the City Great!
Phil Goff has won his
battle for Mayoralty of
Auckland for a second
successive term.
Aucklanders have given the
veteran politician a massive
mandate; compared to the
dismal polling number, his
acceptance rate of 48% (a marginal
increase of 0.4% over the
2016 election) is convincing.
In his Victory Message, Mr
Goff said that he would build
on the foundations to make
Auckland a world class and
inclusive City.
“We will continue to invest
strongly in our transport infrastructure,
in the City Rail Link,
Light Rail, busways, arterial
roads, cycle and walkways to
decongest our city and give
people choices in transport
modes,” he said.
Keeping promises
Mr Goff said that the
Council, under his leadership,
will keep up our rate of
building new homes to meet
demand and also cater for
the vulnerable, working with
government to build more
social homes and remove the
blight of homelessness.
As an Indian Newslink
Columnist, he said, “We
need our city to be New
Zealand’s best performing
city. That means an efficient
Council that cuts waste and
duplication. It means changing
the culture of Council so that
it is transparent, responsive
and accountable. We have to
sustain a City that is inclusive
of and celebrates all cultures
and faiths.”
Fear of rates rise
Mr Goff now has an opportunity
to turn Auckland in to a
City of his dreams and that of
common people.
There are fears that he
would raise the rate structure,
which would squeeze the
wallet of Aucklanders, who
are already being pinched
by spiralling cost of living,
would find any further hikes
unbearable.
We will pin our hopes on
Mr Goff, wait and watch with
interest how he performs.
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 and social media
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; Financial Controller: Uma Venkatram CA;
Phone: (09) 5336377 Email: info@indiannewslink.co.nz; Websites: www.indiannewslink.
co.nz; www.inliba.com; www.inlisa.com
Credit Card fees must be regulated
Bernard Hickey
New Zealand has fallen behind
Australia and Britain in using
contactless payments because
our light-handed regulation
means bank fees are two to three times
higher and retailers are revolting.
Now the Government may have to
regulate fees directly.
In the telecommunications industry,
it’s known as ‘bill shock.’
As soon as a customer gets an unexpectedly
large bill during a trip overseas,
they immediately stop using their phone
because it feels like an unexploded device
that could ‘go off’ at any time.
That’s what happened to many retailers
over the past five years as customers
started using the contactless chips in
their credit and debit cards to wave their
way past the till rather than stop and
swipe and put in their PIN numbers.
Rising fees
Debit payments that had once been
virtually free EFTPOS transactions or
slightly more expensive Visa or Mastercard
debit payments suddenly became
contactless credit or debit transactions
with double or quadruple the fees.
Almost overnight, Merchant Service
Fees (MSFs as they are known in the business)
started costing retailers hundreds
of dollars extra a month. That is because
their fees and charges for the various flavours
of payments were bundled up and
retailers could not tell which payments
were doing the damage.
Those manky ‘No Paywave’ stickers
The response by many retailers was
immediate, just as it is for travelling
phone users. They stopped using contactless
almost immediately.
This ‘bill shock’ was expressed by slapping
little bits of paper and cardboard
onto their EFTPOS terminals with the
now familiar ‘No Paywave’ signs.
Now, all manner of home-made
stickers are plastered and tacked onto the
machines.
Eight years on from Mastercard’s
launch promotions with the 2011 Rugby
World Cup, the stickers are looking tatty
and now both retailers and consumers
are becoming increasingly frustrated at
the slow progress in reducing the fee and
making them more transparent to win
back the trust.
The previous National Government
looked at the issue in late 2016 and
early 2017 but did little more than give
the banks a telling off. Then-Minister
Paul Goldsmith asked his officials to
investigate and his successor Jacqui
Dean sent a letter to Payments NZ, which
operates the system on behalf of the
banks, telling them to do more to open up
pricing information and be more open to
innovation.
‘Please explain’
New Labour Commerce Minister Kris
Faafoi wrote to Payments NZ in April last
year again asking for more progress.
His patience is starting to wear thin
and he wants to see evidence within
weeks that the banking and payments
system is serious about opening up.
He is unhappy that banks have been
slow to ‘unbundle’ contactless credit and
debit card fees for retailers and open
their banking networks to ‘FinTech’
competitors.
He has warned they face regulation
without showing more urgency on an
issue that retailers say is costing them
almost $400 million a year in unjustified
bank fees.
Asked if the banks were ‘taking the
mickey’ with their slow response to the
concerns about ‘No Paywave’ stickers
and high fees for retailers, he told me: “I
am not necessarily happy with the time
frames and we’ve sent that message to
both the banks and Payments NZ to get
a move on, otherwise there could be
regulation.”
In Australia and Britain all cafes,
restaurants and retailers accept contactless
Visa and Mastercard payments,
especially through Apple Pay and Google
Pay phones, which has increased their
uptake and encouraged the adoption of
cheaper non-cash payments, including
Image by Lynn Grieveson (Newsroom)
National Party Finance Spokesman Paul
Goldsmith
(RNZ Picture by Rebekah Parsons-King)
on public transport.
The cost of not regulating
Currently, New Zealand retailers pay
around 1.1% in fees for contactless debit
cards and 1.5 percent for contactless
credit card payments.
That is almost twice as much as
retailers pay in Australia and almost
four times as much in Britain. Both of
those markets have seen Government
intervention to regulate the so-called
Merchant Service Fees (MSF), which are
made up of interchange fees between the
banks and transaction fees by the credit
card companies.
Some banks have started unbundling
their fees and a few retailers have asked
for better deals.
Meanwhile, tourists are frustrated
that they can neither wave their cards or
their phones with Apple Pay and Google
Pay to pay like they do in other countries.
And the credit card providers are keen to
push ahead and use the technology more
widely, particularly as a way to tap on
and off buses and trains, as is the case in
Sydney and London.
The Reserve Bank of Australia intervened
in 2003 to regulate card fees there,
which has seen those fees for retailers
drop from around 1.5% to 0.7%.
British authorities also intervened to
get fees down under 0.5 percent.
‘Please unbundle’
The problem is the bundling of fees,
according to Retail NZ CEO Greg Harford.
“Historically, the banks have tended
to charge a relatively high flat rate to
merchants. That was based on the maximum
possible cost of providing credit
card transactions. Since contactless has
entered the market, most banks have
not offered unbundled services, so it’s
essentially the same rate for contactless
debit as credit card transactions, which
has had the effect of inflating the amount
that merchants pay for contactless,” he
said.
Retailers see the perverse outcome
of competition between banks to
get customers to sign up to rewards
programmes being high fees for retailers,
who effectively pay for the free flights
and toasters. Harford wants the banks to
move faster to unbundle fees so retailers
can build their confidence and use the
technology more widely.
“Ultimately, consumers love the
convenience and we’re out of step ...and
ultimately it costs merchants sales if they
don’t have that facility available,” Harford
said.
‘Falling behind the rest’
Mastercard CEO Ruth Riviere said its
surveys show a third of customers are
annoyed when they strike a ‘no Paywave’
sticker and that 75 percent use Paywave
and Paypass, which is the Mastercard
version.
“We are also falling behind Australia,
where one in five people now use their
mobile phone to pay. Here’s it’s one in 20,”
she said.
Tourists, in particular, are mystified
about the stickers and the inability to tap
and go, as are New Zealanders who visit
Australia and Britain and find everyone
takes the cards.
“I think you’ve hit the nail on the head
naming those markets as well because I
think the piece we might be missing in
New Zealand is we’re a huge destination
market for tourism,” Riviere said.
“We are heading quickly into 2021
which we’ll see APEC and the America’s
Cup and the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
If you look at the UK it’s now about 70%
contactless. Australia is 90% contactless.
If we as New Zealand want to realise the
absolute maximum benefit from that
year of huge tourism that’s how people
expect to pay.’
Unintended consequences?
However, Riviere is wary of regulation
of fees, saying the costs eventually appear
elsewhere.
“I think we have to be really careful
when we talk about regulation in this
space about the unintended consequences
of that because certainly in the UK
and across Europe, where we’ve seen
interchange regulation, there are costs
within the system.
“And just because the interchange has
been regulated doesn’t mean those costs
disappear. They show up somewhere
else. And across Europe consumers are
actually paying more for banking. If
the costs can’t be covered and if they’re
regulated out in one place they’ll come
out somewhere else.”
Riviere is in talks with NZTA to get
contactless adopted for buses and trains,
potentially nationally.
“If you take Transport For London for
example, their efficiency savings for not
having to run their own closed loop with
the system have been far outweighed by
the benefits of leveraging that technology
that already exists and can be used
elsewhere,” she said.
“I think the other interesting thing
we’ve seen in other countries is that once
transit is open the areas around those
stations or other transit hubs see the
spend also increase.”
‘We’re working on it’
I asked the banks for some comment.
They referred me to Payments NZ, who
run the system for the banks. Payments
NZ sent through a statement that it was
now reporting interchange fees to the
minister and the banks had started
unbundling.
Faafoi is hopeful that a payments system
trial by the banks where they open
up their systems for small startups to use
their data will come up with something
special and new.
“I myself have seen some other
products that are pretty cutting edge that
will leave Paywave in the dust.”
About Two Cents’ Worth
Two Cents’ Worth has been launched
by Newsroom in a co-production with
RNZ. It is the country’s first weekly
business podcast and will be broadcast
just after the midday news on Sundays
on RNZ National, will be available on
both RNZ and Newsroom’s websites and
can also be found on iTunes and other
podcast apps.
Each week we will examine one issue
in depth and then convene a panel
discussion. Here is this week’s version on
RNZ as well.
Two Cents’ Worth - the business week
and the business outlook.
Bernard Hickey is the Managing Editor
of Newsroom Pro based in the Parliamentary
Press Gallery in Wellington. He is a
director and shareholder of Newsroom
NZ Ltd. He has previously worked for
Interest.co.nz, Fairfax NZ, the Financial
Times Group and Reuters.
Published under a Special Agreement
with Newsroom and www.rnz.co.nz

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
13
Diwali 2019 Special
Westpac wishes you
a Happy Diwali.
From our team to yours, we wish you happiness and good fortune this Diwali.
For all your business banking needs, we are here to help.
Please call us anytime.
Amar Prakash 021 716 428
Ashok Singh 021 712 143
Poonam Kumar 027 207 3272
Shawn Anand 027 668 9022
JN15864-3 08-19
JN15864-3 08_19 DIWALI Festival_260x365mm.indd 2
3/10/19 2:40 PM

14
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
The Divine Trinity Herald new era of prosperity
Venkat Raman
Despite being given commercial
connotations all over the
world, Diwali (or Deepavali)
retains its traditional, moral,
social and religious values. In millions
of Hindu homes, the day features
Pooja, special dedication to ancestors,
family reunion, festive food, new
clothes (and jewellery) and fireworks.
Diwali is usually a five-day Festival,
beginning on Amavasya (New Moon),
considered auspicious by Hindus. Although
related largely to Lakshmi, the
Goddess of Wealth, it is customary to
worship Lord Ganesha as the Premier
Deity, and Saraswathi, the Goddess of
Knowledge.
This Divine Trinity is therefore
seen in most homes as Deities and on
the cover of most Diwali Specials of
newspapers and periodicals. Indian
Newslink is no exception.
Lord Ganesha
Lord Ganesha, the one tusked,
potbellied Hindu Deity, starts all things
auspicious in Hindu homes. He is worshipped
for wisdom, prosperity and
luck that He bestows on His devotees.
Hindus believe the Elephant-Headed
God, known as the ‘Remover of Obstacles’
and ‘God of Power and Wisdom,’
is the eldest son of Lord Shiva and
Goddess Parvati. Every religious
festival, be it a simple prayer at home
or a grand yagna at a temple, begins
with a submission to Lord Ganesh.
Goddess Saraswathi
Invoking the blessings of Goddess
Saraswathi, known to be associated
with knowledge, music and arts on
Diwali Day is another custom in Hindu
homes and Temples.
The general belief is that appeasing
Goddess Saraswathi is highly beneficial
Diwali is always associated with Lakshmi, Ganesha and Saraswathi
in countering Planet Mercury for removing problems in
education and career.
Ganesha is frequently depicted with Saraswati and
Lakshmi.
The Deities are worshipped together because they represent
similar goals.
Goddess Lakshmi
The Goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity is the
Wife and Shakti (Energy) of Vishnu, one of Trinities and the
Supreme Being in Vaishnavism Tradition.
With Parvathi and Saraswathi and Lakshmi forms Tridevi,
the Holy Trinity.
Lakshmi is also an important Deity in Jainism found in Jain
Temples.
She is Goddess of Abundance for Buddhists and represented
on the oldest surviving stupas and cave temples of
Buddhism.
Lakshmi is also called Sri or Thirumagal because She is
endowed with six auspicious and divine qualities, or Gunas,
and is the divine strength of Vishnu.
In Hindu religion, She was born from the churning of
the primordial ocean (Samudra Manthan) and She chose
Vishnu as Her eternal consort.
When Vishnu descended on the Earth as the Avatars
Rama and Krishna, Lakshmi descended as His respective
consort as Sita and Radha, Rukmini.
In the ancient scriptures of India, all women are
declared to be embodiments of Lakshmi.
She typically stands or sits like a Yogin on a Lotus
pedestal and holds Lotus in Her hand, a symbolism for
fortune, self-knowledge and spiritual liberation.
Her iconography shows Her with four hands, which
represent the four goals of human life considered
important to the Hindu way of life: Dharma, Kama, Artha
and Moksha.
Diwali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima)
Festivals are celebrated in Her Honour.
Lakshmi is mentioned once in Rigveda, where She is a
sign of auspicious fortune.
In Atharva Veda, transcribed about 1000 BCE, Lakshmi
evolves into a complex concept with plural manifestations.
This Veda describes the plurality, asserting that a
hundred Lakshmis are born with the body of a mortal at
birth, some good, punya (virtuous) and auspicious, while
others bad, paapi (evil) and unfortunate.
The good are welcomed, while the bad urged to leave.
In the Epics of Hinduism, such as in Mahabharata,
Lakshmi personifies wealth, riches, happiness, loveliness,
grace, charm and splendour.
In another Hindu legend, about the creation of universe
as described in Ramayana, Lakshmi springs with other
precious things from the foam of the ocean of milk when
it is churned by the Gods and demons for the recovery of
Amrita. She appeared with a Lotus in Her hand and so
She is also called Padma.
Root of the word
Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from the root word
lakṣh and lakṣha, meaning to perceive, observe, know,
understand and goal, aim, objective respectively.
These roots give Lakshmi the symbolism: know and
understand your goal.
A related term is lakṣhaṇa, which means sign, target,
aim, symbol, attribute, quality, lucky mark, auspicious
opportunity.
Happy Diwali!
Diwali is a time to give, a
time to raise hope and a
time to look forward to
better times.
As the members of our community
mark the Festival of Lights this
year, we are confident that their
celebrations will herald a new
era of progress and prosperity for
the people of the world at large,
irrespective of their social status
and religious beliefs.
The management and staff of
Indian Newslink would like to
take this opportunity to wish our
readers, advertisers, sponsors of
various programmes in which
we have been involved through
the year and well-wishers a very
happy and prosperous Diwali.
In presenting this Special
Report, we also wish to express
our sincere gratitude to them
for their continued support and
cooperation.
May Diwali be the beginning of
realisation of all your dreams and
objectives in your career, business
and lives.
Happy Diwali
Diwali is about care and share; love and respect; and service with a smile.
That is what we do every day of the year.
May this Festival of Lights bring you joy, happiness, good health and prosperity.
And of all the Awards that we have received, the greatest reward is your goodwill.
Let us celebrate together. Happy Diwali!
email: office@legalassociates.co.nz
Ph: (09) 2799439 | Level-1, 31 East Tamaki Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2025 | PO Box 23445 Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2155

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
15
Happy Diwali!
“Aap sub ko Deepawali aur Bandi Chor Divas
ke shubhkamayen” - Wish you all a Happy Diwali
and Bandi Chor Divas
Simon Bridges
National Party Leader
Leader of the Opposition
simonjbridges
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
National List MP based
in Manukau East
bakshikanwaljit
Dr Parmjeet Parmar
National List MP
based in Mt Roskill
DrParmjeetParmarMP
Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised
by Simon Bridges, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

16
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Change is a law of Mother
Nature.
Today, everything has the
touch of change including the
celebrations and rituals of festivals.
Diwali (Deepavali) has also undergone
a complete metamorphosis.
The name Diwali itself is supposed
to be a transformed form of the
more correct word ‘Dipavali’ or
‘Deepavali,’ the literal meaning of
which in Sanskrit is a row of lamps.
Filling little clay lamps with oil and
wick and lighting them in rows all
over the house, is a tradition that is
popular in most regions of India.
Earlier, on the main day, the
best part used to be the darkness
approaching the night. The ritual
of lamp burning used to take quite
some time, even the dingiest slum
hut used to acquire a glow of the
earthen lamp and a traditional
festive air of celebration. This was
followed by a short prayer to Goddess
Lakshmi, the Progenitor of wealth,
with one rupee silver coin soaked in
milk, few low-tone crackers, ordinary
sparklers and rockets launched in
empty soda water bottles.
To welcome Lakshmi into their
home, people used to make floor
designs of Lotus, the seat of Lakshmi
at the entrance. Lights were kept
on all night to ensure that she does
not lose her way. In South India,
celebrations began with an oil bath
before sunrise. Goddess Lakshmi is
said to reside in the oil on that day
and Goddess Ganga in the water.
The scene today
Diwali is not what it used to be, a
festival not seen as it is now and the
reverence for the occasion is gone.
Diwali 2019 Special
World takes possession of a great Festival
A Correspondent
Now it is fun, frolic,
revelry and pleasure.
The religious
trappings are pushed
to the background.
The forefront
is occupied by the
ritual of consumption,
entertainment,
merry-making and
life affirmation.
The festival is a
consumer’s delight
and producer’s dream.
The innocence of the festival has
been invaded by sophistication and
scale in all its aspects. The earthen
lamps are replaced by flickering
strings of lights, neon and other
innovations that make the flames
gyrate to attract attention.
Fireworks are thoroughly professional,
high-sounded with burst
of bombs that pierce through the
ears, high decibel sounds and a long
string of crackers in thousands.
The art of pyrotechnics advances
every year. The rockets soar higher;
make kaleidoscopic patters after
bursting, with loud sounds.
Gifts and Goodwill
The second aspect is the intensification
of the practice of gift giving.
In most religions, there is at
least one occasion when gifts are
exchanged.
Hindus do so on Diwali day.
Diwali candles have largely taken
over the twinkling from earthen diyas.
Nobody has the time nowadays
to twist wicks out of raw cotton and
to fill each individual diya with oil.
To clean up the mess the following
morning is another big problem.
But crackers and fireworks have
come into their own, vying with
Jewellery, a popular Diwali purchase in India (Source: Jewellerista)
each other for range, variety and eye
appeal, also sadly, noise and smoke. It
is perfectly possible to drape the night
in stars without an almighty bang
that also releases a pall of smoke.
Conspicuous consumption
Diwali is an important economic
event today. The hidden persuaders
work overtime to justify consumption
and convincing people of spending
money. This season of gifts is marked
by advertisements that offer the gift
giver a variety of options, especially to
the business houses that can get their
logos imprinted on the items a kind of
PR exercise.
The festival has now come to
be associated with conspicuous
consumption on the one hand and
indulgence on the other. The expenditure
on celebrations has gone up by
geometric proportions. Gambling
is with very high stakes. Gone are
the innocent coins; in are the high
denomination notes in bundles.
But diyas are fickle and gusts of
wind unpredictable. As sleep tugs
at the eyelids of merrymakers, most
of them taking advantage of the
technical advances today, like to play
safe by leaving an electric bulb on.
Advertisments such as this sell millions of Sarees
Men’s fashion is booming business
Best Financial Advisor (Mortgage) of the Year 2017
Best Businesswoman of the Year 2018
Business Excellence in Customer Service 2018
(Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards)
New Zealand Prime Minister
Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern with Rachna
M 021 022 90344 P 0800RACHNA
E rachna.dave@0800rachna.co.nz

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Next Year (2020) marks the
centenary of the arrival of
Paramahansa Yogananda
arrival in the USA to introduce
Kriya Yoga to the West.
While not as familiar to the Indian
audience as elsewhere, Yogananda
is a Spiritual teacher of renown
internationally; his spiritual classic
‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ having now
sold over 10 million copies.
Kriya Yoga groups through the
world are celebrating the occasion
and no less so than here in Auckland.
Kriya Yoga New Zealand welcomes
the divine presence of its current
head, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda
to commemorate this event on May
2, 2020.
The specialty of Kriya Yoga
Kriya Yoga is an authentic yogic
practice that unfolds a sure path to
enlightenment.
It is an ancient method of living and
meditation that cultivates body, mind,
intellect, and awareness of the soul
using powerful meditative and yogic
disciplines.
Importantly, it helps the practitioner
experience the three divine qualities
of light, vibration, and sound by using
techniques of concentration, posture,
and breathing.
This develops a one-pointed mind,
which enables penetration of the
deepest levels of consciousness.
One is initiated into the technique by
an approved and advanced spiritual
teacher. Students learn how to dive
deep into their own Self and realise
their innate nature of pure existence,
consciousness and bliss.
Diwali 2019 Special
Kriya Yoga stimulates young and old in East and West
Special event on May 3, 2020 to mark centenary of arrival of Yogananda in USA
Supplied Content
Paramahansa Yogananda
They also learn how to sustain
this perception or state of realisation
throughout their daily activities,
bringing sense of peace and happiness
to their lives.
Non-Sectarian Discipline
Kriya Yoga is a universal and
non-sectarian spiritual discipline
that crosses all divisions and
boundaries. Its simple technique
causes no hardship, requires no austerities,
and is suitable for aspiring
householders.
Kriya Yoga is the very Yoga spoken
of in the acclaimed Yoga Sutras
of Patanjali and has been taught
since time immemorial.
This powerful yogic technique is
also referred to in the Bhagavat Gita
and includes all three main arms of
the yogic path, Karma Yoga, Janana
Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
It is said to have been ‘lost’ during
the dark age (Kali Yuga) when
most people are ignorant of the
Self, and revived in recent times by
Mahavatar Babaji when he initiated
Lahiri Mahasaya in 1861.
Lineage of Masters
Mahavatar Babaji told Lahiri
Mahasaya, “The Kriya Yoga that I
am giving to the world through you
in this 19th Century, is a revival of
the same science that Krishna gave
millenniums ago to Arjuna; and
was later known to Patanjali, and
to Christ, Saint John, Saint Paul and
other disciples.”
The Science of Breath
The specialty of the Kriya Yoga
technique is that it affects the simultaneous
development of body, mind,
and Soul in the shortest possible
time.
Kriya Yoga is a relatively quick
and easy non-sectarian path to
reach higher states of consciousness
and change your life by developing
mind, body, intellect, and awareness
of the soul. Based on the science of
breath, it provides a very powerful
technique of meditation that greatly
enhances all spiritual practice.
Kriya Yoga techniques are
engineered for better living and are
scientifically proven to increase vital
life-force energies in the practitioner’s
body.
Kriya Yoga enables one to develop
a healthy brain, a keen mind, and
a prompt understanding. It assists
daily activities in a profound way
leading to a more healthy and
successful life, with longevity.
Accessible Technique
This technique can be practiced
without any restriction of religion,
ethnicity, creed or sex. Any boy
or girl above 13 years of age can
practice Kriya Yoga; even an elderly
person of 75 years or more can
derive a good deal of benefit from it.
Kriya Yoga is the essence and
synthesis of all yogic techniques
taught in the world. However, the
meticulous austerities and painful
processes, which are associated with
many traditional Yogas, are totally
absent in the Kriya Yoga technique.
It is accessible and suitable for
householders.
No dietary restrictions are
required for this technique.
Understanding Kriya
The word Kriya signifies that you
live your life as directed from within
through your perception of the soul,
directing you through your brain to
your proper activities.
Without a soul, your brain cannot
function. Without a soul, we would
not get any thought or mood, and
our body would be a dead body.
So, it is necessary to remember
that every thought comes from the
invisible body, the soul within.
If you perceive that the indwelling
17
Self is the sole doer in you, that God
is activating and functioning within
your whole-body system, then
Self-realisation is attained.
Conscious realisation of one’s
unity with the spirit is the goal of life,
and, consciously or unconsciously,
every person is trying to advance
towards that end. When we realise
our unity with the universal Self
– our own spiritual existence – we
become one with the universe.
The science of Kriya Yoga is that
knowledge which, when it is applied
to the internals of man, allows him
to realise his ever-present unity with
God and perceive that whatever he
is doing is done only by the power of
God, activating his whole system and
directing all of his activities.
Panel Discussion
The 2020 Yogananda celebration
event will feature a panel discussion
with several esteemed guests
including Dr Giresh Kanji, author of
recent bestseller, ‘Brain Connections:
How to Sleep Better, Worry Less and
Feel Happier.’
For more information, please visit
www.Yogananda2020nz.org
The above article was sent by Kriya
Yoga Association of New Zealand
Happy Diwali 2019
From the Labour Ethnic
Communities Team
Left to right:
Hon. Jenny Salesa, MP for Manukau
East and Minister for Ethnic
Communities,
Priyanca Radhakrishnan, List
MP based in Maungakiekie and
Parliamentary Private Secretary to
the Minister for Ethnic Communities
The Labour Ethnic Communities Team
64 9 622 2557
ethnic_communities_labour@parliament.govt.nz
Level 1, Crighton House, 100 Neilson Street,
Onehunga, Auckland 1061
Authorised by Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

18
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
Our Achievers: Sahaayta Counselling and Support Services, Auckland
Helping hands rescue victims of family violence
Venkat Raman
As Kashmir Kaur spoke about
her life and suffering at
the fundraising dinner of
Sahaayta Counselling and
Support Services held on August
23, 2019 at Ellerslie Events Centre,
it looked like an Indian film which
abounds in villainous plots, some of
them leading to the murder of the
daughter-in-law.
It is ironic that parents long to see
their sons married, men and women
start relationships but soon thereafter,
the saga of violence commences
and ends when there is interference
of the law or organisations of
Sahaayta.
In the case of Kashmir, the
extremities that she suffered were
perpetrated by her parent-in-law,
brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Born and raised in a loving family in
Punjab, she was married to a man
who was mentally incapacitated
following an accident, of which she
was not aware until she came to New
Zealand.
She suffered physical violence and
verbal abuse for five years before she
got an opportunity to get to Immigration
New Zealand through a nurse at
a hospital. The Police and Sahaayta
were involved and thereafter life
began to change.
Today, Kashmir lives with her
husband with her legal status secure
as a Permanent Resident, while the
perpetrators of violence face charges.
Indian Newslink will do a
separate feature on her torturous life
shortly.
There are hundreds and thousands
of women like Kashmir Kaur who
Kashmir Kaur: Do-gooders always come to rescue Sucharita Varma, at the core of family values Zoya Karim Kara: Holistic approach to safer communities
are victimised by men and families
everyday.
Rising Menace
Family Violence is a rising menace
throughout the world and New
Zealand is no exception. Every three
minutes or so, someone, somewhere
in this country is harmed and the
Police field calls about this problem
more than anything else.
The Government brought into
being the Family Violence Act 2018
on July 1, 2019, redefining Family
Violence with provisions for pressing
criminal charges and prosecution of
perpetrators and swift carriage of
justice.
But it does not go far enough to
address the real problem: Supporting
victims in culturally enclosed
communities; and victims who
ensnared by the very system that
intends to protect them. There is
therefore a need for organisations
that understand female victims (who
are by far a majority), helps them to
seek palliatives from their despicable
predicaments and enable them to become
economically and emotionally
independent.
One such is the Auckland based
Sahaayta Counselling and Social
Support Services.
Established in 2013, it works not
only with women, but also with men,
older people and children to uplift
their status, health and wellbeing.
Sucharita Varma and Zoya Salim
Kara, who combined their earlier
expertise at the South Auckland Family
Violence Prevention Network (a
report on which appeared in Indian
Newslink July 1, 2012 issue) to form
Sahaayta, have brought comfort and
solace to a growing list of victims,
while also working with offenders to
reform and recommence their lives
with love and peace in their families.
A volley of emotions
“Our clients experience grief
and loss, anger, low self-esteem,
relationship conflicts, stress, anxiety,
depression, abuse and trauma to
name a few. Sahaayta provides
holistic and culturally-sensitive counselling
and support services in Hindi,
Fiji Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati,
Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
and English. Programmes and Workshops
for personal and professional
development for individuals and
corporates are also held regularly,”
Ms Varma said.
Today, Sahaayta accounts for 23
Councillors and Volunteers who offer
an extensive range of programmes
and solutions to suit almost all
people. These include Sahaara
(Coffee Groups for Ethnic Women),
Soch (Community Education and
Awareness), Ahimsa (Non-Violence),
Sitaare (for Children).
The services through these
programmes relate to Migration
and Settlement, Grief and Loss,
Anger, Self-Esteem, Family Violence
and Abuse, Trauma, Anxiety, Stress
Relationships, Conflict resolution,
Communication and Parenting.
Special Awards
Sucharita Varma was presented
with the Raman (Ray) Ranchhod
Commemoration Award for Excellence
in Counselling and Reducing
Family Harm and Zoya Karim
Sara with a Community Award for
Services to Safer Communities at the
Sixth Annual Indian Newslink Sports,
Community, Arts & Culture Awards
held on June 24, 2019 at Ellerslie
Convention Centre in Auckland.
Changing force of Law
Closer attention by the forces of
law and order would see a decline
in family violence worldwide. Over
the past few years, coppers in almost
every country have abandoned what
is known as ‘the tea and sympathy
approach’ to abuse. These days,
the Police treat violent partners in
much the same way as the American
authorities treated Al Capone: “If we
can’t get him for beating up his wife,
what else can we get him for?”
We should not underplay the importance
of introducing tougher laws
to bring the perpetrators to justice.
For, what is a society if it features
homes that are less safe than public
places, say a pub, where brawls are
common?
We certainly do not want our
homes to become watering holes
with fountains of violence erupting
beer after beer.
We would like to see organisations
like Sahaayta to be well-funded
and strengthened to service our
communities better.
Pictures by Angie Ong at Sahaayta
Fundraiser on August 23, 2019

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
19
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DIWALI
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* Must be 13 years or over to apply for an ANZ Visa Debit Card. A copy of the ANZ EFTPOS Card and
ANZ Visa Debit Card Conditions of Use are available on anz.co.nz
ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited 09/19 21177

20
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
Achievers Diwali 2019: Natraj School of Dance, Lower Hutt
Honour and dignity mark the vicennial of a Dance School
Venkat Raman
Dance in any form has found
a place of distinction and
support in most parts of
the world, transcending
manmade barriers of religion, class
and income.
Young men and women dancers
today show commitment and dedication,
not experienced a few decades
ago, save for a few who kept the fire
burning.
Talented teachers have established
dance schools to explore and expose
talents.
New Zealand is one of them.
Arangetrams are held, not just as
a public announcement of student
achievement but also as a measure of
promoting an art that has stood the
test of time.
Harnessing Talent
New Zealand boasts of a rising class
of talented youngsters who are eager
to take the art forward and Natraj
School of Dance based in Lower
Hutt is a good example as among the
bastions of the art.
Prabhavathi (better known as Prabha)
Ravi, who established the school
in 1999 at her home in Lower Hutt,
has singularly fostered its structure,
form, course content and quality of
teaching and learning.
Her penchant for dancing sprung
from her innate passion for the arts
and took her (at the age of three) to
Kalaimamani Krishnakumari Narendran,
a renowned Bharata Natyam
teacher who runs ‘Abinaya Natyalaya’
in Chennai.
Birth of a Star
Following her Arangetram in
Chennai at the age of nine, Ms Ravi
Prabha Ravi (third from left)) with Radha Raman, Raagavi Niranjan, Ashwini
Suhamaran, Renuka Sabesan and Madhusha Paraneetharan
Prabha Ravi with her student
Radha Raman
pursued advance training under
Guru Udupi Sri Laxminarayan,
known as ‘Acharya Choodamani’
(‘Uncrowned Master’).
Ms Ravi is credited with more
than 100 solo Bharata Natyam
performances in various academies
and associations in Tamil
Nadu and at community and
dance festivals held in Canada,
Sri Lanka and the US.
Wellingtonians and visitors
have seen her performing
at a number of functions
organised by the Wellington
City Council and associations.
More than 700 students of
The Natraj School of Dance
have added dignity and honour
to their Guru with their
energetic display of talents
over the past 20 years in
various cities in New Zealand,
Australia, India and the United
States of America.
Services to Charity
She has staged more
than 500 free performances
for charity including the
Wellington Tamil Association,
Wellington Free Ambulance
and Red Cross New Zealand
and at official events and
functions held in Parliament.
She has helped raise more
than $15,000 for various community
projects. These include
Wellington Free Ambulance,
Awards and Citations
Ms Ravi received the
Queen’s Service Medal as a
part of the Queen’s New Year
Radhika Ravi (Second from left, top row) with Ashwini Suhamaran,
Radha Raman, Raagavi Niranjan, Madhusha Paraneetharan
and Renuka Sabesan
Prabha Ravi’s student Sushrutha
Meturaki presenting ‘Shiva
Sakthi’ symbolising Arthanareeswarar,
the composite
androgynous from of Lord Shiva
and Goddess Parvathi
Honours in 2018 and an
Art Award at the Sixth
Annual Indian Newslink
Sports, Community, Arts
and Culture Awards 2019
for her services to the
Community and Classical
Dance.
About Bharata
Natyam
Institutions like
Natraj School of
Dance demonstrate
that Bharata Natyam
is no more confined
to people of Tamil
Nadu or of Tamil
origin, including Sri
Lankans, Singaporeans
and Malaysians.
Gujaratis, Punjabis,
Maharashtrians, Bengalis
and others (the
people of the three
other Southern states
of Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Karnataka
and Kerala have been
avid followers since
long), young men and
women of European,
Maori and Pacific
Island ethnicity
have been evincing
interest, with some
of them aiming to
graduate in the art.
According to belief, Bharata
Natyam was developed by Bharata
Muni (Sage), who wrote the ‘Natya
Shastra,’ out of the ‘Fifth Veda,’ a
combination of the four original
Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva)
by Brahma, the Creator.
The purpose of the Natya
Shastra could not have been more
pronounced than the words of the
great sage, which, translated from
Sanskrit, reads as follows.
“As the world became steeped
in greed and desire, in jealousy
and anger, in pleasure and pain,
Brahma was asked to create an
entertainment avenue which
would be seen and heard by all.
This was because the scriptures,
too learned and ambiguous, were
not enjoyed by the masses. The
creation of Natya Shastra is very
important in Kaliyuga, the present
age of destruction and decadence.”
Special Programme
As a part of its 20th Anniversary
Celebrations, Natraj School of
Dance is producing a classical
dance programme in Hutt City this
weekend.
Called, ‘Bhava Raga Talam Natyam,’
it will be held on Saturday,
October 19 and Sunday, October
20, 2019 at the Little Theatre
located at 2 Queens Drive, Lower
Hutt.
“Indian Classical Dance is not
mere body movement to a rhythm.
It is a discovery of roots, philosophy,
mythology and many other
facets of life. Every child develops
his or personality and mind by
learning this dance,” Ms Ravi said.
Ticket Link: www.iticket.co.nz/
events/2019/oct/bharatanatyam
Eventlink: www.facebook.com/
events/424814038219066/?event
time id=424814044885732
www.shivanirestaurants.co.nz
Masti
6
R E S T A U R A N T S
taste matters
Muskurahat
Khoa Burfi, Gulab Jamun,
Khoa Kesar, Moong Dal Barfi
2
Boondi Laddu
4
Boondi Laddu, Moong Dal
Burfi, Gulab Jamun, Doda
Burfi
Large
Gift Packs
$35
$25
$20
Happy Diwali
Kaju Parivaar
Kaju Burfi, Kaju Roll,
kaju Kesar, Kaju Lemon
1
Raslila
Milk Cake, Pista Burfi, Khoa
Kesar, Boondi Laddu
3
Ghee Parivaar
Milk Cake, Boondi Ladoo,
Gulab Jamun, Dhodha
5
Medium Gift Packs
Khoya Bahaar
Milk Cake, Chocolate Burfi,
Kesar Peda, Pista Burfi
7
$40
$34
$32
$19
Milk Cake
Kaju Burfi
8
$18
9
$18
Dosti
Kaju Burfi, Kaju Lemon,
Kaju Roll, Kaju Kesar
10
$20
Peda Parivaar
Kesar Peda, Sada Peda,
Laal Peda,
11
$18
Dodha
12
$19
Khushiya
Boondi Laddu, Doda Burfi,
Khoa Burfi, Pinni
13
$19
Lovely
Kaju Burfi, Chocolate Burfi,
Pista Burfi, Kaju Kesar
14
$18
Boondi Laddu
15
$13
Pre-order your Diwali Gift Packs now!

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
21

22
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
Achievers Diwali 2019 Tejal Tailor
Atop the Universe with perseverance and family support
Achieving a status is easier than performing
up to expectations thereafter and setting a
benchmark for self-improvement and emulation,
says Tejal Tailor, who was crowned
‘Mrs Woman of the Universe New Zealand’ at a
contest held in Auckland on Saturday, September 21,
2019.
The title accords her the placement as ‘Ambassador
of Mrs Universe New Zealand 2019,’ and
participate in an international contest at an overseas
location, details of which will be announced in due
course.
People’s Choice
She also earned the ‘People’s Choice’ at the Contest,
which did not surprise many, since, given her
attributes of honesty, dedication, commitment and
seeking genuine friendship,
“This has been a remarkable journey, although I
believe that it is ongoing. Contrary to popular belief,
there is no make-believe fantasy here. Every Contestant
in Miss Universe New Zealand should be herself.
This is the hardest thing to achieve,” Tejal said.
Being a responsible wife, mother and daughterin-law
do not diminish the right of a woman to
participate in a beauty pageant as she proved at the
event last month.
It is her penchant for details that distinguishes
Tejal from others.
Turning dreams to reality
“Do not forfeit your dreams and hopes for achieving
anything in your life to either fate or to anyone
else’s wishes,” she advised married women who may
feel natural or family constraints in stepping on to
limelight.
“I believe that making a positive difference in
the community starts from making changes in the
lifestyle and wellbeing of your own family. I have
had the support of my family and friends to reach
that distinct status. If everyone with ambition and
hope makes sincere attempts, they too will realise
their dreams, no matter how long it takes,” she said.
Tejal said that her husband Jimmy Tailor (who
won the ‘Business Excellence in Health Safety
Award’ at the Eleventh Annual Indian Newslink
Indian Business Awards 2018) is her ardent admirer
and supporter.
Tejal with Life Coach and Judge Evana Corric
Tejal with her husband Jimmy Tailor
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Tejal with Lifestyle TV Presenter and Weight Loss
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Phone: (09) 8187255; Mobile: 021-1637646 | Email: papadumsnz01@gmail.com

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
23
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24
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
Social Enterprise finds career pathways for the disabled
Supplied Content
A
Social enterprise has been
working with communities
to find employment for
people with a disability.
Established last year (2018) by
Graeme Haddon and Eric Chuah,
the enterprise, called, ‘The Cookie
Project’ just does that- make cookies
employing people who otherwise
find it difficult to get jobs because of
their disability.
They said that the employment
rate for people with a disability is
low in New Zealand at only 23%,
compared to the employment rate of
68% for those who are non-disabled.
The Cookie Project helps New
Zealanders with disabilities
understand their own value, and
every employee is paid at least the
minimum wage.
No CVs or Interviews
The founders do not ask for
CVs or conduct interviews with
prospective bakers as they believe
that all Kiwis with any disability are
employable.
The Cookie Project, officially
launched at ANZ Migrant Expo on
June 18, 2018, currently employs
more than 30 bakers and its wait list
of bakers is growing by the day, with
more than 50 Kiwis wanting a job.
According to Stats NZ, one in
four New Zealanders have a
disability and about 250,000 capable
people are desperately looking for
employment.
“We are leading New Zealand
with our inclusive employment
framework for the disability community
by having a pan-disability
recruitment policy. All our cookies
are handmade at the Eat My Lunch
Graeme Haddon
The founders with Bakers of the Cookie Project
(Picture from Website)
Kitchen, using only the finest Kiwi
ingredients like Lewis Road Creamery
butter. Therefore, we know that
you will love the taste as much as
the purpose behind it,” Mr Haddon
and Mr Chuah said.
About Graeme Haddon
Graeme Haddon has been looking
after disadvantaged and disabled
Eric Chuah
youth for over 15 years in various
ways. In 2006, he and Chris started
Te Hau Kainga Charitable Trust
in Hamilton, with the purpose of
helping youths with behavioural
and offending problems.
In 2007, fate introduced three
children to Graeme and Chris. Their
unconditional love was so radiant
that just before the children’s
grandmother passed away, she had
a dying wish that both Graeme and
Chris adopt the children full time at
home.
So in 2012, they moved in to live
with Graeme and Chris. Sadly, Chris
passed away in 2016 and Graeme
has been looking after the children
on his own.
About Eric Chuah
Eric Chuah was born in Ipoh, a
small mining town in Malaysia.
He comes from a family line of
migrants and grew up with the
stories of how tough life was for his
parents and grandparents - war,
poverty and lack of education.
In the 1950s, Mr Chuah’s parents
had to sell cakes and cookies after
school to help make a living for the
family.
Their struggle fuelled him to succeed
in life and made sure that he
broke the cycle through education.
He studied hard and worked even
harder during his early banking
career.
He was one of the youngest
expatriates working in the banking
sector and was fortunate to experience
life in eight different countries
across Asia and Australia.
In 2013, he arrived in New
Zealand as Head of Migrant Banking
ANZ, the country’s largest bank.
Four years later, he decided to
leave the corporate world and start
his first social enterprise to help
community groups and those in less
fortunate positions.
Cookie Project Facts
“At Cookie Project, we have
generated over 850 hours of paid
employment at minimum wage of
$17.70 an hour. We have received
an average score of 8.5 out of 10 for
happiness levels from people with
disabilities. We have received an
average score of 8.5 out of 10 for
happiness levels from the people
with disabilities. We have received
9 out of 10 for sense of belonging
from people with disabilities,” he
said.
Mr Haddon said that the Project is
breaking down social stigma about
the disability community because
eight out of ten volunteers have not
worked with people with disabilities
prior to coming to their kitchen.
“Have you ever wondered who
actually baked our delicious cookies
when you’re enjoying them? With
the new product packaging, we are
bringing product traceability to life
for the first time in New Zealand.
All our bakers have chosen to participate
in our ‘Who’s Your Baker’
Programme and will have their
own personalised QR Code sticker
that they stick onto the packaging at
the end of each baking session,” Mr
Chuah said.
Mr Haddon added, “Now, when
you use your smartphone and scan
the QR Code, you will learn more
about the actual person who baked
your cookies. You can also leave
your baker a message of support,
encouragement or even request
them to bake your next batch of
cookies. If you are an employer,
you can check out our awesome
bakers and get in touch with them
for employment opportunities in
your company. We are also making
disability easier to understand by
grouping them into four categories
that are represented by different
colours. You’ll see these colours on
our baker’s QR code stickers.”
AB INTERNATIONAL LTD “ Bringing Together a World of Goodness”
T (09) 256 1400 E orders@abinternational.co.nz www.abinternational.co.nz

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
25

26
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
27

28
OCTOBER 15, 2019
More than 300 pages of 100
Recipes from Aromatic
Spices to Lamb Kebabs
The culinary art of
Gujarat demonstrates the healthy
cuisine that the Indian Sub-Continent
offers and as long-time settlers,
Gujaratis have brought the specialities
of their State to most countries
of the world.
Gujarat is primarily a vegetarian
state, influenced by Jainism.
Many communities however
include seafood, chicken, and goat in
their diet.
The typical Gujarati Thaali
consists of Rotli, Dal or Kadhi, Rice,
and Shaak/Sabzi (a dish made up
of combinations of vegetables and
spices, which may be either spicy or
sweet). The Thaali will also include
preparations made from pulses
or whole beans (called Kathor in
Gujarati) such as mung and blackeyed
beans.
Gujarati cuisine varies widely in
flavour and heat, depending on a
family’s tastes as well as the region
of the State.
Pass It On
Food columns run by chefs,
cooking enthusiasts and mothers in
the media continue to create widespread
interests all over the world.
Like their Western counters such as
Master Chef Junior, Cake Boss and
The Kitchen, Indian Cookery shows
on television are capturing the
attention of viewers worldwide,
Despite the invasion of digital
technology, the printed word continues
to thrive and cookery books are
among those that have a long reprint
history.
If the sample that we have seen
is any indication, a new book being
published from Wellington will soon
join that lineage.
Called, ‘Pass It On,’ the Book contains
100 recipes that are a tribute to
the Gujarati Cuisine that has global
following.
Written by Mother-Daughter duo
Shoba and Keryn Kalyan, the publication,
due for release next time, has
something for everyone.
As Keryn said, “The Gujarati
Diwali 2019 Special
New Book captures culinary art of Gujarat
The Authors Shobha and Keryn Kalyan
Spiced Charcoal Lamb Kebabs with accompaniments
(From Facebook)
The sumptuous Thaali from Gujarat
palate, and we can’t wait for you to
explore our cuisine soon from the
roots of our family
“Gujarat Cuisine is the most
colourful that we know”
Gujarati Indian Charcoal
Barbecue
We have a Barbecue Section in
our Cookbook that we are excited
to share with you super soon
so that you can enjoy our secret
recipes over the summer!
Waitakere Diwali at Trusts Stadium this weekend
Supplied Content (Edited)
Waitakere Indian
Association was one
of the first Indian
organisations to mark
Diwali publicly in Year 2000.
At Waitakere Diwali this year,
you will find something new and
something traditional.
While there will be food from
various parts of India and Pacific
Cuisine bursts with delicious
aromatic and vibrant flavours that
pop and dance on your palate and
will keep you coming back for more.
‘Pass It On’ features over 100 recipes
with colourful food photography,
showcasing the delicious food and
bright culture of Gujarat. There’s
something for everyone with recipes
for traditional Curries, Rotli Bread,
Samosas, Bombay Mix, Spiced
Barbecue Charcoal Lamb Kebabs,
Chutneys, Masala Chai, Mango Kulfi
and so much more. The Book is also
full of tips and tricks for Gujarati
cooking techniques, and secret recipes
to make your own aromatic spice
grinds from scratch.”
Shobha belongs to one of the
pioneering families from Gujarat
to settle in New Zealand a hundred
years or more.
The Book narrates how she and
her how she and her family learnt to
cook through their senses rather than
following a written recipe.
These recipes are documented in
the Book.
‘Pass It On,’ features more than 100
authentic recipes and tells a special
story of how these have been passed
on through generations from Gujarat
to New Zealand.
“We want to continue to preserve
the authenticity and share the
deliciousness of the Gujarati cuisine,”
Keryn said.
The duo has active social media
accounts on Instagram and Facebook.
For more information and to order
your copy, please email passitoncookbook@gmail.com
Facebook Posts
Guess What’s On Our Cookbook
Cover?
Who can guess it right?
We have put so much thought
into our Cover and we can’t wait
to share it with you.
We don’t believe in the saying,
‘Don’t judge a book by its Cover,’
because for us, our Cover has to
create a great first impression and
reflect the quality of our inside
pages. And most importantly, it
has to tell our story because that’s
tastes, there will be outdoor and
indoor performances, last minute
shopping for Diwali and activities for
children.
Try your Doosra at the Cricket
nets, enjoy performances by young
and old and watch the segment
dedicated to traditional dances of
India.
‘Ram Lila’ will be performed
in English with fireworks in the
a huge part of this project.
We love what we have come up
with.
Coriander Chutney
In our Book, we have a whole
section on Chutneys and Pickles,
because, a Gujarati dish isn’t
complete without them! They
really tie a whole meal together
and make it extra delicious. This
one is Coriander Chutney, a family
favourite.
It pairs so well with a range of
dishes - samosas, curries, barbecued
meats...the list goes on. The
great thing about this particular
Chutney is that all you have to
do is put all the ingredients in a
blender, press pulse, then you are
done - quick and easy but so good.
Flavours from Gujarat
The flavours of Indian Gujarati
food are, in our opinion, like nothing
else!
So many people have asked us,
‘Will Butter Chicken be in your
Book?’
The short answer is No!
We are not putting Butter Chicken
down, but what we are saying
is that our family food is quite
different from the Indian food you
might be used to. The curries and
dishes are more tomato and spice
based, rather than cream based.
This not only makes them super
tasty, but also healthier which is
definitely a win-win!
We promise that the flavours
will pop and dance on your
evening concluding Waitakere
Diwali 2019.
We would love if you would join
us on Sunday, October 20, 2019 from
midday at The Trusts Arena, Central
Park Drive, Henderson, Auckland.
Entry is Free.
Our best wishes and greetings on
Diwali to all of you.
We wish that all your dreams and
resolves get fulfilled in every possible
way! May your lives be blessed
with success and happiness.
From our Archives
Waitakere Diwali has become an
icon of not only West Auckland but
the whole of New Zealand. Among
others, it has been continuously
featured in the calendar of Auckland
year after year.
And in doing so, unlike other
similar organisations, it has always
Diwali Festival 2019
Sunday 20 October
11:00 am to 9:30 pm
A collage from ‘Pass It On’ (From Facebook)
Aromatic Masala Chai
It felt like Summer in Wellington
yesterday (September 21, 2019),
which made it a perfect Charcoal
Barbecue Day. The Charcoal adds
a delicious charred flavour to the
succulent masala spiced meat
which you really can’t beat. When
the meat was cooked, we squeezed
fresh lemon juice over before
eating with salad and coriander
chutney.
granted opportunities to all its executives
to gain leadership positions,
and train as leaders.
WIA is mindful of the fact that
Diwali needs to retain its theme, its
respectability, reverence and dignity.
In following that policy, the Association
has checks and balances to
have a mix of modern culture with
tradition to ensure Diwali retains its
light of wisdom, divinity and dignity.
Free
Entry
Join us at:
The Trusts Arena,
Central Park Drive, Henderson
Waitakere Indian Association
Te Ropu Inia O Waitakere
Est. 2000
Fireworks
Display
waitakereindian @WaitakereIndianAssociation @DiasporaIndiaNZ www.wia.kiwi

OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
29
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30
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
Ola drivers bring Diwali spirit to Auckland roads
Supplied Content
Hundreds of Ola drivers are
gearing up to bring the
lights and spirit of Diwali to
the streets of Auckland by
setting their cars a-glow during the
Festival weekend.
As candles and diyas begin to
take pride of place in households
celebrating the Festival of Lights
across the country, Ola drivers are
also preparing to add a kaleidoscope
of illuminated colour to their cars in
a symbolic nod to Diwali’s light-inspired
custom.
Colours synchronised to music
Ola drivers will be lighting up
their cars’ interiors with glowing
lights in a rainbow of colours,
synchronised to music, as they ferry
passengers around our cities during
the festival, giving their passengers a
taste of the spectacular Diwali spirit
Bankim Patel with his decorated car
that is so widely celebrated across
the Indian subcontinent and beyond.
Ola driver Bankim Patel, whose
family immigrated from Gujarat to
Auckland 17 years ago, has been
driving for the Indian-founded
rideshare company since its launch
in New Zealand last year.
Bankim Patel initiative
He said that lighting up his car will
be a fun way to celebrate his culture,
Bankim Patel with his wife Chetna and their
children Sanvi, Tulsi and Hani
spread the happiness of Diwali
with his passengers and create a
memorable ride for them during the
Festival.
“In India – everything is lit up for
Diwali, from houses to temples and
shops. It’s like Christmas for us. Adding
colourful lights to my car is a way
to share a little of the festival mood
and party atmosphere of Diwali with
my passengers. I hope that the lights
Unity and uniqueness mark Durga Pooja in Christchurch
Shirish Paranjape
Different community groups in
Christchurch celebrated Durga
Pooja in some unique ways last
weekend.
The main Durga Pooja was held on
Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Cotswold
Preschool and Nursery. It was attended
by over 150 guests. All the decorations at
the Pooja were prepared by a team over
a few weeks leading up to the event.
These decorations included LED light
fountains and many more.
Plastic Free Event
Amritajit Sarkar, one of the organis-
Decorations at the Tarafdar Residence
ers, said that they have tried to keep this
event ‘plastic free.’ The plates for lunch
were of recyclable materials, while
wooden spoons were used instead of
plastic ones. The glasses and cups were
made from recycled paper.
This event coincided with the declaration
of the results of the local elections.
Lianne Dalziel, elected the Mayor of
The main event at Cotswold Primary School
Christchurch for a third term, visited
the event briefly. This was her first
public event after the Local Government
election results were announced.
Hosting families
Years ago, the first Durga Puja began
at the residence of Amlan and Karabi
Ghosh. It is still the first stop and people
gathered to pay homage to goddess
act as a bit of a conversation starter,
because one of the beauties of living
in New Zealand is that we celebrate
all kinds of cultures,” he said.
Mr Patel also plans to extend the
Diwali ritual of exchanging authentic
Indian sweets to his passengers, offering
them a chance to try delicacies
like Jalebi and Ladoo.
“Like everything to do with
Diwali, even some of the sweets are
technicolour!” he said.
Celebrating Diversity
Ola Country Manager Brian
Dewil said that Diwali is a great
opportunity to celebrate the
diversity of its driver community
and recognises the heritage of the
rideshare company. “Ola has more
than 7000 drivers across the country,
who come from a diverse range of
cultural and religious backgrounds.
Offering our drivers the opportunity
Durga on the Ashtami day.
Separately, Durga Pooja was celebrated
at the residence of the Tarafdar
family.
The uniqueness of this event was all
the decorations, as well as the wonderful
idols, were made by the family themselves
- rather than buying them from
a shop.
Kasibhatla family from Andhra
Pradesh had a Community Golu with a
display of idols which depicts the coming
together of Gods to share their powers
with Goddess Durga.
Embracing good qualities
The final event was Christchurch
Vijayadashami Utsav - Dussehra celebrations,
organised by Hindu Swayamsevak
Sangh.
The organisers invited all present to
destroy the negative qualities within
them.
to light up their cars for what is one
of the most important festivals of the
year for many of them, reflects that,”
he said.
The Auckland Diwali Festival was
held on October 12 and October 13,
2019 on Queen Street and Aotea
Square at which more than 50,000
people reportedly turned out to
enjoy music, dance, food, culture
and fireworks, making it one of New
Zealand’s largest cultural festivals.
Ola is New Zealand’s fastest
growing rideshare platform,
operating in Auckland, Wellington
and Christchurch, as well as Sydney,
Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast,
Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and now
the Sunshine coast, in Australia.
Ola delivers a better value ride
to passengers and a better deal to
drivers, who take home more from
every trip.
Each participant wrote one negative
quality which he or she wanted to
change on a balloon, and then burst the
balloon with an arrow shot from a bow.
The idea was to ensure that
everybody - including the children -
understood the true meaning of our
tradition festivals.
‘Anger,’ ‘Too much TV,’ ‘Too much
social media’ were among the ‘evils’ that
people wanted to overcome.
All in all, it was so inspirational to see
traditional festivals being observed, but
also used to spread messages relevant in
the modern society.
Shirish Paranjape is our Correspondent
based in Christchurch. He was
re-elected as a Member of the Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood
Community
Board at the Riccarton House and
Bush Trust.
Happy Diwali
PCS wishes you
all Happy Diwali
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OCTOBER 15, 2019
Hindi films break into Kiwi homes with subtitles
Nevil Gibson
On my first visit to India
in the early 1980s, the
absence of western
consumer goods was
noticeable.
I imagine it is still advisable
that foreign travellers restrict
their beverages to boiled and
bottled drinks.
In those days that meant
drinking Campa Cola, the market
leader in the 1970s and 1980s
when foreign brands were
banned.
India liberalised its economy
in the 1990s, allowing Coca Cola
and Pepsi to reclaim a market
they had been excluded from for
15 years.
The Pure Drinks Group
introduced Coca-Cola to India in
1949 and its Campa Cola brand
kept the familiar bottle shape
and logo. That made it easier for
the marketers when the “real
thing” returned. But it meant
the demise of the imitator and in
2001 its bottling plant and offices
in Delhi were closed.
Campa Cola has a key role
in ‘Photograph’ (distributed by
Madman), a low-key romantic
drama in which a shy street
photographer, Rafi (Nawazuddin
Siddiqui), attempts to woo
Miloni (Sanya Malhotra), who
asked him to take her picture at
Mumbai’s Gateway of India.
Urban-Rural gap
The gap between the two
is considerable, given India’s
Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra in ‘Photograph’ (Picture Supplied)
Adult Romance on Netflix: Sunny
Leone in ‘Beiiman Love’
(Bollywood Hungama)
widely disparate class and
social systems. She is city-bred,
well-educated and about to
travel to further her education.
She has also started a modelling
career.
By contrast, Rafi is from a
village and has few skills apart
from being able to develop
instant pictures from his Nikon
camera.
He is also well past the age
when he should be married,
though he is still in his early
30s. Under pressure, he sends
home the picture of Miloni as
his “girlfriend,” prompting his
Nani (Farrukh Jaffar) to join
him in Mumbai to speed up the
marriage process.
She is plain-speaking,
refreshing in an era of political
correctness, and has firm views
on race, religion, sex and the
purpose of life.
Hindi films woo
Hindi-language films are noted
for their accessibility for Kiwis
and other non-Indian viewers,
as half of the dialogue seems
to be spoken in English. Like
writer-director Ritesh Batra’s
previous film, The Lunchbox
(2013), Photograph is aimed at
arthouse audiences in the West.
This distinguishes them from
Bollywood-style features that
make up the bulk of India’s
output. But that is changing
as co-productions, such as
‘Lion’ and ‘Hotel Mumbai’ from
Australia, or the ‘Marigold Hotel’
series and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’
from Britain, meet demand for
Indian content.
Recycling plots
American Darcy Paquet, who
is a film school director in Busan,
South Korea, made an interesting
observation at a recent University
of Auckland seminar.
He said that as most Asian
audiences (as elsewhere) don’t like
subtitles, it is rare for countries
with unique languages to make
films with other countries.
Instead, successful plots are
recycled.
He named one popular Korean
comedy, ‘Miss Granny’ (2014), as
being remade in China, Japan
and Indonesia with an American
version in development.
Hollywood is aware that audiences
lap up Indian themes, with
Disney backing ‘Million Dollar
Arm’ (2014) about a Cricketer who
becomes a baseball star.
The Netflix NZ catalogue has
several dozen titles that give
an excellent introduction to
Indian movies. For newcomers,
I recommend these: gritty
social issues (‘Ajji,’ ‘Beyond the
Clouds,’ ‘Gandu’), teen comedy
(‘Nasha’), adult romance (‘Aitraaz,’
‘Beiimaan Love,’ ‘Lust Stories’),
period drama (‘Rang Rasiya’),
crime (‘Andhadhun,’ ‘Ek Khiladi
Ek Haseena’) and sport biography
(‘Dangal’).
From Pakistan: ‘Chalay Thay
Sath’ (for the scenery) and ‘Pinky
Memsaab,’ about migrant workers
in Dubai.
Nevil Gibson is Editor-at-Large
at The National Business Review
based in Auckland. He has been
a Judge of the Indian Newslink
Indian Business Awards since
inception in 2008. The above
article appeared in the ‘New
Zealand Catholic.’ Indian
Newslink Editor worked as a
Correspondent/Contributor to
NBR for eleven years from 1999
to 2010.
Diwali 2019 Special
Someville Rotary
plans Diwali Night
The Rotary Club of
Somerville based
in East Auckland
has announced will
mark Diwali as a fundraiser
early next month.
Club President Farida
Master said that the event
will be held from 630 pm
on Saturday, November 9,
2019 at Our Lady Star of
the Sea School located at
14 Oakridge Way, Howick.
“The Programme will be
packed with foot tapping
entertainment, raffles,
prizes won, auction and
authentic Indian cuisine.
The small but vibrant
Rotary Club of Somerville
punches well above its
weight and is working
hard to ensure an evening
to remember,” she said.
‘Beyond Water’ Project
Ms Master said that all
proceeds of the evening
will be donated to local
and internatinal projects
of Rotary. Among the
projects to which the Club
is committed is ‘Beyond
Water,’ a charitable organisation
run by Rotarians
passionate about bringing
clean water and sanitation
solutions to communities
in East Africa.
‘Beyond Water’ fights
water poverty at a
grassroot level involving
the community so that
they can take the lead in
rebuilding lives by deep
31
bore wells, water tanks, latrines,
hand washing stations and
sanitary products.
“The Rotary Club of Somerville
is an energetic Club of professionals
working in the community
and none of these projects would
have been possible without the
patronage and support of the
community. We are looking
for sponsorships for the Diwali
Programme,” Ms Master said.
The Club meets on Wednesdays
(except on Second Wednesdays)
at Howick Club.
For tickets and further information,
please contact Farida
Master on 021-0365235; Email:
faridamaster20@hotmail.com or
Assistant Governor and Past President
Vinod Sareen 021- 615412.
Email: vinodksareen@gmail.com
Let us
Celebrate
your success
Supported by
YEAR
Gala Black Tie Awards Night with Cocktails and Dinner on
Monday, November 25, 2019
at Sky City Convention Centre,
Corner Victoria & Federal Streets, Auckland City.
Master of Ceremonies: Jackie Clarke
Celebrity Speaker and Entertainer
1. Business Excellence in Retail Trade
9. Best Small Business
2. Business Excellence in Innovation
10. Best Medium Sized Business
3. Business Excellence in Marketing
11. Best Large Business
4. Business Excellence in Customer Service 12. Business Excellence in International Trade with India
5. Best Employer of Choice
(this category is open to all businesses registered in
New Zealand doing business with India)
6. Business Excellence in Health & Safety
13. Best Accountant of the Year
7. Business Excellence in Ethics (New)
14. Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year
8. Business Excellence with Social Responsibility (New)
15. Best Businesswoman of the Year
16. Best Financial Advisor (Mortgage) of the Year
17. Best Financial Advisor (Insurance) of the Year
Supreme Business of the Year Award
(All entries will be entered for this category)
Cocktails and Networking from 5 pm to 615 pm
Dinner, Entertainment & Awards Ceremony from 615 pm to 915 pm
For tickets, priced at $150 plus GST per person and tables seating 10 persons
each at $1500 plus GST per table (including cocktails and dinner)
contact us on Phone (09) 5336377 or 021-836528
Email: venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
www.indiannewslink.co.nz; www.inliba.com; www.inlisa.com;

32
OCTOBER 15, 2019
Diwali 2019 Special
Indian envoy calls for stronger business ties, mutual presence
Muktesh Pardesi also pitches for Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Auckland
Venkat Raman
Muktesh Pardeshi, India’s
High Commissioner to
New Zealand believes
that bilateral relations
between the two countries should
go beyond government-to-government
relationship, manifesting in a
higher level engagement between
businesses.
Speaking at the Inaugural Session
of Summit 2019 of the New Zealand
India Business Council (INZBC)
held at Pullman Hotel in Auckland
yesterday (Monday, October 14,
2019), he said that there are immense
opportunities to strengthen
commercial, economic, trade and
industrial ties between India and
New Zealand.
Pronounced participation
“While we recognise the importance
of higher levels of engagement
between the two countries,
we should identify the areas where
potential exists and take steps to
utilise the existing and emerging
opportunities. One of the most
significant measures that we should
exercise is to ensure the presence
of New Zealand businesses in India
and vice-versa. We would also be
happy if investors and businesses
from this country participate in our
‘Make in India Programme’ and
enhance their performance,” he
said.
Importance of SMEs
Mr Pardeshi underscored the
importance of Small and Medium
Enterprises, saying that promoting
them would an essential step
INZBC Chairman Sameer Handa felicitating India’s High Commissioner Muktesh Pardeshi at the
Summit in Auckland on October 14, 2019. Also in the picture (taken from Facebook) is Labour
MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan.
towards closer relationships.
“SMEs have an extensive range
of products and services to offer
both in India and New Zealand.
We should find ways and means of
harnessing their contributions for
a more meaningful increase in our
bilateral relations,” he said.
Earlier, INZBC Chairman Sameer
Handa opened the one-day Summit
which comes under the Council’s
‘India Unplugged Series,’ outlining
the aims and objectives of the event
and the role being played by the two
governments, various organisations
and INZBC.
Chapters in India
Mr Handa announced said that
INZBC would open two chapters
in India, one each in Delhi and
Mumbai and announced the
appointment of Bharat Joshi (Chief
Executive, J Curve Ventures) in Delhi
and Sreedhar Venkatram (Chief
Executive, South Asia of CricHQ) in
Mumbai.
“Both the Chapter Heads will be
representing INZBC in India and we
look forward to developing more
programmes and delegations with
them,” he said.
Mr Handa said that in response
to an invitation from Bihar Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar, INZBC would
be leading a business delegation
with the Auckland based Bihar
Foundation in January 2020.
Bihar beckons
“The Bihar Government is rolling
out a red carpet for investors in
the field of agriculture, dairy, food
processing and other sectors. The
delegation will also attend the Indus
Food Expo 2020 scheduled to be held
on January 8 and January 9, 2020 at
Exposition Mart in Greater Noida,”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaking at the Auckland Diwali at Aotea Square on Saturday,
October 12, 2019 (Picture by Hemant Parikh)
he said.
Among the speakers at the
Inaugural Session were Employment
Minister Willie Jackson, Fonterra
Asia Pacific Chief Executive Judith
Swales and Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and
Industry Australia Country Head
Jasmeet Singh.
Labour MP and Parliamentary
Private Secretary to Ethnic Communities
Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan
chaired a Panel Session with
the main speakers and others.
“We have a strong Kiwi-Indian
community and such, we should be
able to engage more meaningfully
with India. We live in an increasingly
interdependent world, driven by
globalisation and digital revolution.
Our people are out biggest asset,”
she told us.
A Statue for Mahatma Gandhi
Speaking at the Auckland
Diwali 2019 held at Aotea Square
on Saturday, October 12, 2019, Mr
Pardeshi asked the local government
to allocate space at an appropriate
location for installing a Statute of
Mahatma Gandhi.
“India and indeed the World, is
celebrating the 150th Birth Anniversary
of Mahatma Gandhi and as a
City which accounts for the largest
number of Indians in New Zealand, I
believe that it would be appropriate
to have his Statue. It would be a
fitting gesture. We have a Statue
of Gandhi in front of the Railway
Station in Wellington,” he said.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
inaugurated the Festival and spoke
about the growing relations with
India and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff
praised the growing diversity in the
country’s largest City.
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