Feb 15 2020 Indian Newslink Digital Edition

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Issue 432 | FEBRUARY 15, 2020 | Free 

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Visa approvals place Indians atop the immigration counter 

Venkat Raman 

The number of Visas issued 

by Immigration New Zealand 

(INZ) under various 

categories over the past 

three years registered 

an increase of about 54.6% over 

those issued during the previous 

three-year period, Indian Newslink 

can reveal. 

We can also reveal that Indians 

were among the major beneficiaries, 

accounting for more than 16.1% of 

all approvals across all nationalities 

during this period. 

In terms of numbers, the total 

number of visas of all types issued 

from January 1, 2017 to December 

31, 2019 stood at 1,539,143, 

compared to 996,629 for the period 

from January 1, 2014 to December 

31, 2016. The share of Indians rose 

marginally to 15.24% (2017-2019) 

as against slightly less than 15% 

recorded during 2014-2016. 

Significant increase 

The total number of visas of all 

types issued to people of Indian 

origin, both onshore and offshore 

during the 2017-2019 period was 

234,326, accounting for an increase 

of more than 57% over the figure of 

149,103 visas approved during the 

period from 2014 to 2016. 

Last year (January 1 to December 

31, 2019), the total number of visas 

of all categories issued to Indians 

(both onshore and offshore) was 

84,295 compared to 57,819 visas 

issued during 2016. 

This represents a rise of more 

than 45% in the two calendar 

years during which two different 

governments were in charge of 

immigration. 

Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway 

(File Photo) 

The figures prove a point: that 

there is considerable misinformation 

regarding the current coalition government, 

which has been generally 

portrayed as ‘anti-immigration.’ It 

also proves that the New Zealand 

First Party, which is a part of the coalition 

government, has not interfered 

with the immigration process over 

the past three years. 

No political interference 

This is again proved by official 

statistics. The total number of all categories 

of visas processed (including 

those declined) between January 1, 

2017 and December 31, 2019 was 

1.69 million (1,689,817), compared to 

the total number of visas processed 

between January 1, 2014 and December 

31, 2019, which stood at about 

1.08 million (1,078722). The increase 

was about 56.7%. 

The total number of Essential 

Skills Visas issued to Indians onshore 

and offshore has also registered a 

Comparative Study of Visas Processed and Approved (Indian Nationals) 

Indian Newslink Table © 

Source: Office of Immigration Minister, Government of New Zealand 

Notes: Figures appearing under Processed and Approved Columns relate to Indian nationals. 

Figures appearing under Approved Global are for all applicants other than Indian. 

Year Category Processed Approved Approved 

Global 

2017 Work Essential Skills 7257 6112 34159 

2017 General Visitors 68747 63340 475920 

2018 Work Essential Skills 8837 7799 36372 






2015 Work Essential Skills 5300 4654 34421 

2015 General Visitors 48361 45229 278630 



significant increase- from 6112 in 

2017 to 7799 in 2018 and 10,766 in 

2019, compared to 4165 (2014), 4654 

(2015) and 4788 (2016). 

Rise in visitor numbers 

Again, contrary to general belief, 

the total number of General Visa applications 

approved for Indians also 

rose sharply from 135,496 between 

2014-2016 to 209,649 during 2017- 

2019, accounting for a rise of about 

54.8% between the two comparative 

periods. 

The number of visas issued to all 

foreign nationals (except Australians 

who are exempt) under General Visa 

category rose from 439,882 in 2017 

to 499,942 in 2018 but dropped to 

474,097 in 2019. The comparative 

figures for the previous three years 

are 231,661 (2014), 304,091 (2015) 

and 371,146 (2016). 

Student Visas 

As reported in our February 1, 

2020 issue, the number of students 

from overseas has registered a 

significant rise- 33.3% in the past 

three years. 

The total number of student 

applications approved for the 

three-year period covering January 

1, 2017 and December 31, 2019 was 

42,646 (as against 53,670 applications 

received). This figure represented a 

significant rise over the three-year 

period covering 2014 to 2016- a total 

of 32,024 applications approved (as 

against 61,564 applications received). 

The number of student visas 

approved for students from India 

during 2019 was 14,751, compared 

to 13,450 in 2018 and 14,445 in 2017. 

During the previous three years, the 

number of student visas approved 

was 7503 (2016), 12,584 (2015) and 

11,937 (2014). 

Based on the above statistics, our 

analysis shows that the average 

approval rate rose from 52% during 

2014-2016 to 79% during 2017-2019 

three-year periods. 

New Zealand more attractive 

Immigration Minister Iain 

Lees-Galloway told Indian Newslink 

that while the number of visa applications 

has registered a significant 

increase, Immigration New Zealand 

has processed and approved more 

applications since September 2017, 

when he was given the portfolio. 

“These record volumes of visa 

applications prove that New Zealand 

is an attractive destination for education, 

employment and tourism. The 

rise in numbers also prove that the 

New Zealand economy is doing well 

and there is growing confidence. I 

am constantly asking our officers 

to work hard and deliver quicker 

service despite the challenges,” he 

said. 

No lapsing of pending 

applications 

Mr Lees-Galloway refuted reports 

appearing in some sections of the 

media that the government was 

planning to lapse pending applications 

for visas. 

“There is no such plan. Any 

report suggesting so is irresponsible 

and scare-mongering. In fact, I am 

encouraging Immigration New 

Zealand (INZ) officials to speed up 

the decision-making process. INZ 

received more than one million visa 

applications during the last financial 

year, a record number- across all categories. 

With such a large volume, 

it is inevitable that there is a longer 

waiting period, he said. 

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02 

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 

Homelink 

Rise in minimum wage will harm all New Zealanders 

Kanwaljit 

Singh Bakshi 

The Labour-led coalition 

government has 

announced its decision 

to raise the minimum 

wage. 

Once again this appears to be 

a policy like that of Kiwibuild 

or the Capital’s Gains Tax (CGT), 

seems to have been thought 

on the fly rather than after a 

thorough analysis. 

Analysis undertaken by the 

JUST 

Ministry of Business Innovation 

and Enterprise (MBIE) 

concludes that the Labour-led 

government’s decision to raise 

minimum wage to $18.90 an 

hour from April 1, 2020 will cost 

the New Zealand economy 6500 

jobs and increase Government 

expenses by $62 million in 2020. 

Further, moving to a $20 an 

hour minimum wage by 2021, 

is likely to cost the New Zealand 

economy 17,000 jobs and 

increase Government expenses 

by $125 million a year. 

Driving up inflation 

Further this will also drive up 

inflation. 

The minimum wage changes 

will see small businesses 

struggle more at a time when 

the government should be 

supporting them, not working 

against them. 

This increase will also hurt 

workers whom this Labour 

government is keen to appease. 

Migrant workers keen to gain 

New Zealand experience will 

struggle to find work whether 

it is to support themselves as 

international students or to gain 

their first full time role to start 

life in New Zealand. 

Lastly, when inflation rates 

rise this will lead to an increase 

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in the costs of living. 

Everyone from workers, to 

small businesses, to end consumers, 

to tax payers who will pay 

the extra costs of $62 million in 

2019 and $125 million in 2020 

stand to lose from increase in 

minimum wage. 

Therefore it is hard to 

comprehend the rationale for 

this government policy. 

Harsh on people 

The government is making it 

harder for small businesses to 

employ people, harder for them 

to invest in training and development, 

and harder for them to 

National rules out working with NZ First 

Supplied Content 

National Party Leader 

Simon Bridges has ruled 

out working with New 

Zealand First to form 

a Government after the 2020 

election. 

“A vote for NZ First is a vote 

for Labour and the Greens,” Mr 

Bridges said. 

He issued the following 

Statement: 

National wants New 

Zealanders to have a clear choice 

and certainty about what they 

are getting when they go to the 

ballot box. A vote for National 

will mean more money in your 

pocket, more transport infrastructure 

and safety for your 

family. We will get things done. 

Our decisions will be about 

what’s best for New Zealanders, 

not what’s best for NZ First. 

Failure to deliver 

This Labour/Green/NZ First 

grow and contribute via taxes, 

research and development to 

New Zealand. 

These projections could prove 

to be much larger if our economy 

continues to slow and the 

labour market weakens, as it has 

already under the Labour-led 

government. 

Everyone wants high wages 

for workers, which is why National 

increased the minimum 

wage every year in Government. 

But we believe the minimum 

wage should go up in a balanced 

way that does not go too far, too 

fast. 

Hard-working Kiwis are 

already doing it tough because 

of the Labour-led government’s 

National Party Leader Simon Bridges 

(INL File Photo) 

Government has failed to deliver 

for New Zealanders. 

The cost of living has gone up, 

taxes have been piled on, there’s 

been no new infrastructure, and 

crime has risen making your 

family less safe. New Zealanders 

have been let down and we 

cannot afford another three 

years of this incompetence. 

I don’t believe that we 

can work with NZ First and 

have a constructive trusting 

relationship. When National was 

negotiating in good faith with 

NZ First after the last election, its 

leader was suing key National 

MPs and staff. 

poor policies, which are driving 

up the price of petrol, rent and 

other living costs. 

The best way to put more 

money in workers’ pockets is to 

let them keep more of what they 

earn. 

New Zealand is a smart and 

innovative economy where we 

are known to encourage and 

reward talent. Regressive and 

thoughtless polices such as these 

undo all the positive work that 

has been done for years by making 

New Zealand a less attractive 

place to invest and live in as job 

creation and growth is low. 

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi is a 

Member of Parliament on 

National List. 

I don’t trust NZ First and I 

don’t believe New Zealanders 

can either. 

Relationship with ACT 

National had a constructive 

working relationship with ACT 

while in Government. 

We developed the partnership 

schools model and worked 

together to reduce red tape. 

We would again be open to 

working with ACT. 

New Zealanders have a clear 

choice heading into this year’s 

election. 

The Government that I lead 

will result in families who are 

better off, can get to work and 

school on time and are safer in 

their communities. 

A Labour/Greens/NZ First 

Government will mean more 

incompetence and wasteful 

spending, and you’ll pay for 

it with more taxes, costs, and 

burdens on you and your family. 

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi 

National List MPbased 

in 

Manukau East 

Contact 

A 

P 

F 

E 

1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 

09 278 9302 

09 278 2143 

bakshi.mp@parliament.govt.nz 

facebook.com/bakshiks 

@bakshiks 

bakshi.co.nz 

Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP, 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe.


Homelink 

Waste not, want not, as water shortage looms large 

Phil Goff 

From Christmas through 

New Year and Waitangi 

Day, Auckland has 

enjoyed a long and 

sunny Summer. Most of 

us have enjoyed the long 

evenings, BBQs and visits to 

our beaches and parks. 

The dry weather, however, 

has put pressure on our water 

supply, with Auckland in January 

receiving only around 

10% of the normal rainfall for 

the month. 

Our gardens and farmland 

are dry and we have been 

consuming record levels of 

water: on February 4, 2020, 

an all-time record of 561 

million litres, well over 100 

million litres a day more than 

average. 

Fortunately, through Watercare, 

we have been managing 

our water supply carefully, 

fully utilising the outtake 

from the Waikato River and 

trying to conserve water in 

our storage lakes. 

Judicious use please 

This mean that so far we 

have not had to impose 

water restrictions. However, 

lake levels are now down to 

around 70% of full, when at 

this time of the year they are 

generally over 80%, so it is 

time to be careful about our 

water usage, 

While there are no water 

restrictions at this point, 

Tamaki Drive Cycle Project: Mission Bay to Selwyn Reserve (Auckland Council Picture) 

it is important to conserve 

water where possible. If we 

can all save a small amount 

of water every day by taking 

shorter showers, turning the 

tap off while brushing teeth 

and checking taps around the 

house for leaks, it will make 

a huge difference. Check out 

waterforlife.org.nz for more 

tips on how to save water this 

summer. 

Mount Eden Station work 

This week, Transport 

Minister Phil Twyford and I 

attended the launch of work at 

Mt Eden Station in preparation 

for boring the next stage of the 

City Rail Link tunnels. 

The tunnels will run 

from Mt Eden to the new 

underground stations at 

Karangahape Road and Aotea 

Square, before connecting 

with the tunnels built from 

Britomart. The first of the two 

tunnel-boring projects will 

start early next year, and each 

will take about nine months 

to complete, which shows the 

massive scale of this transformational 

project. 

Inevitable disruptions 

The City Rail Link is New 

Zealand’s biggest-ever transport 

infrastructure project, 

and will help create a worldclass, 

21st century network for 

Auckland. At peak times, it will 

carry up to 54,000 people an 

hour, doubling the number of 

Aucklanders within a 30-minute 

journey to the central city 

and reducing travel times into 

and through our city. It will 

lower vehicle-related carbon 

emissions, reduce traffic 

congestion for people who do 

choose to drive, and provide 

fast and efficient travel for the 

tens of thousands more people 

coming to our central city to 

live, work and visit. 

As a result of the work at 

Mt Eden there will be some 

traffic disruption, and Mt Eden 

Station is due to close from 

May 30 this year. However, 

the Western Line will remain 

open and Auckland Transport 

is providing alternative 

public transport options in 

the area, including a new bus 

route between Mt Eden and 

Newmarket. 

While disruption around 

major projects can be 

frustrating, it is important 

to remember that the result 

will be a transport network to 

make Auckland a world-class, 

international city. 

Tamaki Drive Cycle Route 

Another transport project 

due to start this week is the 

Tamaki Drive Cycle Route. 

This project will create a 

safe connection between the 

City Centre and Orakei for 

people on bikes and provide 

another link in Auckland’s 

cycling network. 

Encouraging more people 

who are able to cycle to do 

so instead of driving helps 

lower carbon emissions and 

reduces traffic congestion 

on the roads, benefiting 

everyone, including those 

who do still need to drive. 

Phil Goff is Mayor of 

Auckland. He writes a 

regular column in Indian 

Newslink. 

From Auckland Council 

Website: 

Tamaki Drive Masterplan 

The Masterplan process 

has confirmed that a critical 

issue which needs to be addressed 

is the lack of space 

along the Tamaki Drive road 

corridor capable of providing 

a safe, family-friendly 

route for leisure activities, 

such as families walking and 

cycling together. 

Currently, the use and 

design of the road corridor 

space is mainly focused on 

cars and private vehicle 

use, whether for parking or 

driving. 

The Masterplan has identified 

two ways to achieve 

more space for leisure along 

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Tamaki Drive. 

These are (a) reconfiguring 

how space is currently 

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04 


Homelink 

We lose another great Kiwi in Mike Moore 

Staff Reporter 

New Zealand lost another great son 

in the passing of Mike Moore on 

February 2, 2020. 

The former Prime Minister was 

71 years old. 

His wife Yvonne Moore said that he died 

at home. 

A special service, led by Prime Minister 

Jacinda Ardern, was held in his memory at 

Dilworth School in Auckland on February 

14, 2020. 

Health issues 

Mr Moore, who was the country’s 34th 

Prime Minister, suffered a stroke in 2015 

when he was New Zealand’s Ambassador in 

Washington DC and had been in declining 

health in recent years. 

His wife Yvonne Moore said that Mr 

Moore had numerous health issues since 

his stroke. 

“Mike was born in Whakatane but grew 

up in Kawakawa and Moerewa in the 

Far North and wanted to spend his final 

months in the place that gave him his drive, 

spirit and courage. Mike wanted to be in 

Northland one last time so he spent much 

of summer in Matauri Bay and only came 

back to Auckland in recent weeks because 

of his health. Northland made him the battler 

and fighter for ordinary Kiwis he was 

throughout his life and career and that was 

what drove him to become a member of the 

New Zealand Labour Party at 16-years-old. 

He was stubborn, optimistic, generous and 

kind,” she said. 

Connecting with people 

He had an ability to connect with people 

from all walks of life. 

“Having left school at 15 for a job in the 

freezing works, Mike always believed that 

his love of reading and hard work would 

overcome his lack of formal education. 

Mike was a good reminder to the Labour 

Party of its working class roots and will 

probably be its last blue collar Prime 

Minister. 

Mike Moore (File Photo) 

“Mike was a passionate believer in the 

power of government to advance people 

through the collective provision of health 

and education and how that was the ladder 

up for ordinary working men and women 

and their families,” Ms Moore said. 

International leader 

She said that in keeping with Labour’s 

traditions he was a committed internationalist. 

“As Trade Minister he helped give New 

Zealand a confident outward view of itself 

in the world. He also came to believe in the 

power of a rules based global trading system 

and how that, more than international 

aid, could lift nations out of poverty. He 

was a great humanist and a passionate free 

trader,” Ms Moore said. 

Political career 

First elected to the Auckland seat 

of Eden in 1972, Mr Moore was New 

Zealand’s youngest Member of Parliament 

at 23-years-old. He held the seat for one 

term and was defeated in the Rob Muldoon 

landslide victory in 1975. Soon after, he had 

the first of his three bouts of cancer. 

In 1978, he was elected to the 

Christchurch seat of Papanui, defeating 

National Cabinet Minister Bert Walker. 

He held that seat, which later became 

Christchurch North and Waimakariri, until 

his retirement from Parliament in 1999. 

In the fourth Labour 

Government from 1984 to 1990, 

Mr Moore held the portfolios of 

Overseas Trade & Marketing, 

Tourism, Sport & Recreation, 

America’s Cup, External Relations 

& Trade, Deputy Finance, and 

Foreign Affairs. 

He was the 11th Leader of the 

New Zealand Labour Party and, 

therefore, Prime Minister and 

later Leader of the Opposition, 

from September 4, 1990 until 

December 1, 1993. 

Mr Moore was the World 

Trade Organisation’s third 

Director General, the highest 

international role ever held by 

a New Zealander, from 1999 

to 2002 and oversaw China’s 

entry into the global rules based 

trading system. He also launched 

the Doha Development Round 

in 2002. 

He was appointed New Zealand 

Ambassador to the United 

States in 2010 and played a significant 

role in the Trans-Pacific 

Partnership Trade Agreement 

and enhancing the relationship 

between the two countries. 

Awards and Citations 

Mr Moore’s “School Aid” 

charity, which is run through his 

old school Dilworth in Auckland 

and was created in 2009, has distributed 

hundreds of thousands 

of dollars in development aid to 

schools in Africa. 

In 1999, he was awarded 

the Order of New Zealand, the 

nation’s highest honour, and in 

2012 was awarded the Order of 

Australia (Honorary Officer). He 

also had five honorary doctorates 

in Commerce, Economics and 

Law. 

New Conservatives call 

Ihumatao a fork on the road 

Staff Reporter 

The New Conservative Party has 

described the Ihumatao issue 

as a ‘fork on the road,’ meaning 

that it is time to decide the 

future of the country. 

Party Deputy Leader Elliot Ikilei 

believes that reopening the issue would 

be harmful to the country’s future 

and strike at the heart of the Treaty of 

Waitangi itself. 

He said that the Ihumatao deal was 

already signed and sealed, it was a full 

and final deal, benefitting the mana 

whenua and the whanau involved. 

Illegal protests 

“It is a great project to lessen the 

Auckland housing crisis and create jobs 

and income,” he said. 

Mr Ikilei accused the current 

coalition government of non-adherence 

of the New Zealand law and following 

the illegal protests. 

“Since the formation of the Waitangi 

Tribunal, we have witnessed ‘full and 

final’ settlements considered not full 

and final, with ‘top-ups’ and ’extras,’ 

along with increasingly bizarre claims 

such as radio waves, the entitlement 

to personhood and voice of a river, 

and the entirety of the New Zealand 

coastline. Even prisoner voting rights 

and child protection services have 

now been targeted for an expanding 

industry of grievance,” he said. 

Mr Ikilei said that Ihumatao is a 

consequence of this new, expanding 

jurisdiction, but goes even further and 

allows for the most extreme Treaty 

precedents in New Zealand history. 

He warned the Labour-led Green 

and New Zealand First Coalition 

government entering into a new, 

taxpayer-funded Ihumatao Settlement. 

New Conservative Party Deputy Leader 

Elliot Ikilei (Picture Supplied) 

Exploitation by the greedy 

He said that such a Settlement will 

open all previously finalised Settlements 

for rejection and negotiation 

and that private land will be up for 

grabs. 

“We are witnessing the growth 

of resentment, guilt, confusion and 

entitlement within our people, and 

much of this stems from the new combination 

of fake, real and made-up 

grievances. The racial rift exploited by 

race-baiting politicians, opportunistic 

corporates and undemocratic authorities 

proclaiming false virtue, are 

profiting from our families of all skin 

colour,” he said. 

According to Mr Ikilei, “Maori 

deserve much better than this.” 

“Ka mua, ka muri. We have looked 

back, as we needed to. It is now time 

to move forward. We must honour 

the deal that was already done in Ihumatao. 

We must disband the Waitangi 

Tribunal and stop race-based policies 

so that we may all walk forward 

into the future. Together. And finally 

realise the spirit of the Treaty that 

William Hobson stated to each chief as 

he signed,” he said. 

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Substantial Politics should 

be the order of the day 

Alex Penk 

Who is the real “Party of infrastructure?” 

Is it Labour, who just 

announced that they will spend 

billions on roads and rail, or is it National, 

who claim that Labour is just implementing 

their old policies? 

It is one example of how hard it is to 

separate our two major political parties, 

which was also shown by the Prime Minister’s 

election date announcement. 

Invoking “stability,” a “strong economy,” 

and spending on health and education, she 

sounded exactly like her predecessor, Sir 

Bill English, when he announced the 2017 

election. 

Ideological convergence 

This kind of ideological convergence makes 

it less likely that we will get a real contest 

of ideas at the election, the kind that helps 

us clarify who we are and who we want to 

become as a nation, and more likely that we 

will be treated to a contest of personalities to 

be fought out in the pages of Woman’s Weekly. 

Some might argue this represents the best of 

democratic compromise. 

Instead, I think it represents a narrowing 

of vision, with the leadership of both parties 

hewing to more or less the same view of the 

government’s role, grounded in a political 

ideology of pragmatic managerialism. 

The role of MMP 

There are many reasons for this, but the 

role of MMP is particularly interesting. 

MMP can encourage lowest-common 

denominator politics, where post-election 

negotiations to form a government produce a 

selection of policies that the governing parties 

can live with rather than a policy programme 

that anyone believes in strongly. 

Witness the fate of Labour’s policy to 

repeal the three strikes law and its desire to 

implement a capital gains tax, both shot down 

by coalition partner New Zealand First. 

Under MMP there is also a tendency for new 

ideas to be forced out to the margins of minor 

parties’ manifestos, leaving National and 

Labour hugging the same middle ground and 

competing for the same support. 

With this kind of convergence, it is no wonder 

that elections are becoming increasingly 

presidential, focused on the personalities of 

the Party leaders and dependent on their 

personal brands as portrayed in ‘soft’ media, 

as there is less and less of substance to 

distinguish the major parties’ philosophy of 

government. 

Good vision, policies 

Politicians fighting elections can offer us 

something more substantial. 

Take George HW Bush’s famous Presidential 

campaign speech in 1988. He spoke of “a 

nation of community,” one where government 

has a role to play alongside a plethora of 

organisations and entities, big and small, 

making up “a brilliant diversity spread like 

stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad 

and peaceful sky.” 

The major Parties have shown us little 

evidence of such a vision, and instead we 

seem to be trapped in a dull managerial echo 

chamber, listening to repeats of the political 

consensus of the early 2000s. 

We should encourage our political leaders 

to offer us more substance and to develop a 

wider range of visions for the future. 

That combination of depth and debate will 

give us the best chance to meet the challenges 

and opportunities of the decades ahead, and 

to weave a stronger social fabric. 

Alex Penk is Chief Executive of the Auckland-based 

Maxim Institute. 

Homelink 

05 

A Dilworth education is no ordinary 

education. When it comes to 

changing lives, it’s extraordinary. 

Open Days 2020 20 February & 20 March 

Dilworth is a private school 

like no other. We accept 

promising boys from good 

families of limited means and 

offer them a fully funded, 

wraparound education. 

The results? Our students 

achieve NCEA qualifications 

at a level comparable with the 

highest decile New Zealand 

schools, and they also excel 

in sports, music, the arts and 

cultural performance. 

We call this the Dilworth effect, 

and it’s truly life changing. 

These boys will receive an 

excellent, well-rounded education, 

with all expenses covered, right 

down to sports and music lessons, 

uniforms and school trips. 

Do you know a boy who may 

be eligible for a free Dilworth 

education for years 5 & 7 from 

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– register for the open day by 

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06 


Educationlink 

Earn as you learn engineering degree launched 

Venkat Raman 

Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) has 

launched a new way of delivering a degree 

qualification for engineers. 

Its Bachelor of Engineering Technology 

degree apprenticeship will enable students to remain 

employed while working towards their degree (Level 7) 

qualification. 

WelTec Construction and Engineering Head Neil McDonald 

said this is a first for New Zealand. 

“It is no secret that New Zealand is facing a skills shortage 

of trained and work-ready engineers to facilitate the tsunami 

of infrastructure development the country so desperately 

needs,” he said. 

He said that WelTec has directly responded to the needs 

of the industry for employees who are qualified, astute with 

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in class / for work / at home 

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COST* 

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Megan Turner at a worksite 

skills and work-ready. 

Partner employers 

The Institution has collaborated with 

industry on the curriculum. 

Partners who have endorsed this new 

degree are Beca, Downer, Higgins, WSP 

Opus, Wellington Water and Porirua City 

Council. 

WelTec and Whitireia Community 

Polytechnic Chief Executive Chris Gosling 

said that the Institution will work alongside 

Otago Polytechnic with the industry to 

develop a cutting edge curriculum for an 

engineering occupation. 

“We have no doubt that working closely 

with industry on getting this right will help 

develop the qualified and skilled workforce 

in New Zealand,” he said. 

The new degree model is aimed at 

school leavers who are aspiring engineers 

wanting to work with infrastructure assets. 

Students will be able to gain real life 

work experience on-site and work towards 

gaining a degree qualification while fully 

employed. 

First in New Zealand 

“While degree apprenticeships have 

gained increasing popularity in countries 

like Germany and the United Kingdom, this 

will be the first of its kind in New Zealand. 

We are hopeful that this new way of delivering 

degree-level education will transform 

the way in which vocationally oriented 

degrees are taught,” Mr Gosling said. 

Darrell Statham, Manager, Transportation, 

City Infrastructure at Porirua City 

Council endorsed the new approach and 

has hired a young WelTec student, Megan 

Turner, who will be pursuing degree 

apprenticeship at WelTec. 

“There is huge mutual benefit in this 

programme, which enables us to employ 

a student who is genuinely interested in 

the area of work and there is the potential 

to retain them at the end of it - which will 

mean a work-ready, skilled, and degree 

qualified employee. Students will benefit 

by remaining employed and avoiding 

running up huge debts, gaining valuable 

experience and by fast tracking their path 

to becoming a chartered engineer,” he said. 

A student’s experience 

Megan Turner, now employed at the 

Council to work on roading projects, found 

the structure of the programme more 

viable because she can continue to pay for 

expenses and accommodation, and yet still 

work toward a degree. 

“It is great to know that I will still be 

paid. Also, nowadays most employers look 

at your CV and are searching for your work 

experience, that is a big focus, and doing 

this means I will have both the experience 

and the theory to show,” she said. 

Megan has completed her Diploma 

in Civil Engineering, and is now keen to 

progress to a degree. 

Degree apprenticeships combine 

working with part-time study. 

Dividing time 

Apprentices are employed throughout 

the programme, and spend part of their 

time at WelTec and the rest with their 

employer. 

This can be on a day-to-day basis or 

in blocks of time, depending on the 

programme and requirements of the 

employer. 

WelTec Principal Academic staff member 

and Project Lead James Mackay said that 

traditionally, apprenticeships cater to 

lower level qualifications that are more 

practical by nature, and where the industry 

values the ability to do the job above any 

theoretical knowledge. 

“In this case, the student will learn to 

do the job of being an engineer and pick 

up the theoretical knowledge as they are 

doing this. After they have completed 

their apprenticeship, they would then 

gain a bachelor’s degree in Engineering 

Technology. As the name suggests, the 

apprenticeship relies on integrating the 

theoretical knowledge usually delivered 

in the classroom with hands on industrial 

experience,” he said. 

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ERO wants sustained progress on 

Early Childhood Education 


While the Education 

Review 

Office (ERO) has 

said that there 

‘still a way to go,’ progress has 

been made on implementing 

the Te Whāriki curriculum 

across the early Childhood 

Education (ECE) Sector; 

Rainbow Corner Group 

Chief Executive said that 

efforts of the Group in 

delivering the curriculum are 

being acknowledged, and that 

the proposal is positive for 

the sector and will assist in 

delivering quality outcomes 

for New Zealand’s children. 

Summary of findings 

The ERO’s final Report 

in the Te Whāriki series 

summarises the findings of 

previous Reports and includes 

the last two focus areas for 

the curriculum – how services 

decide ‘what learning matters 

here’ and how well they are 

developing learning-focused 

partnerships with parents and 

whanau. 

ERO Chief Review Officer 

Nicholas Pole acknowledges 

that “some progress has been 

made on implementing the 

curriculum, but we still have a 

way to go.” 

The Report also recommends 

that the Education 

Ministry works with the sector 

to provide exemplars, resources 

and guidance to support 

providers to develop local 

curriculum in partnership 

Rainbow Corner Group Chief Executive 

Rrahul Dosshi (Picture Supplied) 

with parents and whanau. 

The Rainbow Corner Group, 

which owns and operates ECE 

centres and Porse in-home 

childcare, agrees that more 

can be done across the sector 

to implement Te Whariki but 

is proud of its efforts to ensure 

whanau and families are 

engaged with the curriculum 

and the progress of their 

children’s education. 

“Ongoing support for teachers 

to undertake professional 

development is essential and 

assists them to continue to 

deliver high quality education. 

We are looking forward with 

anticipation to the future 

guidance and resources from 

both the ERO and Ministry of 

Education to further strengthen 

our implementation of Te 

Whāriki and to also deliver 

their new quality evaluation 

tools. It will benefit the 

industry as a whole,” Mr 

Dosshi said. 

The Rainbow Corner Group 

was awarded recently the 

Fernmark Accreditation, 

which has cemented its vision 

to provide innovative, modern 

childcare; the first early 

childhood education provider 

to receive the prestigious 

award. 

Extract from ERO Report: 

Children have opportunities 

to participate in a programme 

based on their interests. 

They regularly socialise 

with other children while in 

their educator’s care. 

A wide range of learning 

experiences within the local 

community reflects the Porse 

commitment to place-based 

learning and real-life experiences. 

Children of all ages benefit 

from positive and caring 

relationships with educators 

and programme tutors. Te 

Whariki concepts of manaakitanga, 

whanaungatanga, 

whakamana and kotahitanga 

are evident across the 

networks. 

A varied range of communication 

tools promotes 

consistency of care between 

children's homes and their 

home-based service. Educators 

and programme tutors 

work appropriately with 

families and external agencies 

to meet children's individual 

needs. 

On-going observation 

of children in everyday 

activities builds a picture of 

what they are interested in 

and can do. Some educators 

and programme tutors use 

this information well to plan 

a programme that extends 

children's learning. New 

templates assist educators to 

develop a shared understanding 

of effective assessment 

practice. 

Educationlink 

07

08 


Fijilink 

Bainimarama greets New Zealanders on Waitangi Day 

Venkat Raman 

Fiji’s President President 

Major-General (Retired) 

Jioji Konrote, Prime 

Minister Josaia Voreqe 

Bainimarama, top government 

officials, diplomats and others 

were among the guests at the 

Waitangi Day Celebrations held 

in Fiji on February 6, 2020. 

New Zealand’s High Commissioner 

to Fiji Jonathan Curr 

hosted the event at his official 

residence in Suva, highlighting 

the importance of the Treaty of 

Waitangi and the time-honoured 

bilateral relations between New 

Zealand and Fiji. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

Mr Konrote and Bainimarama, 

Fiji’s Deputy Chief of Protocol 

Mesake Ledua said that his 

country is pleased to observe the 

‘soaring friendship and bilateral 

ties’ between the two countries 

following the ‘Pacific Reset’ 

programme. 

“This engagement has 

strengthened people-to-people 

links and renewed our commitment 

towards elevated cooperation 

between the two countries. 

The Republic of Fiji has had a 

long and fruitful relationship 

with the government of New 

Zealand at a bilateral, regional 

and multilateral level since the 

establishment of our diplomatic 

relations. The government of 

New Zealand has stood by Fiji 

over the years and has been a 

great partner assisting Fiji with 

its development needs,” he said. 

Mr Curr said that New Zealand 

will continue to assist Fiji with its 

national development. 

Radio New Zealand reports” 

More than 2500 people gathered 

at Waitangi on February 6, 

2020 to commemorate the 180th 

Jioji Konrote, Frank Bainimarama, Jonathan 

Curr and others on Waitangi Day in Suva 

(Facebook) 

anniversary of the Treaty. 

People started flooding into 

the grounds from about 430 am. 

Among those who offered 

their prayers were Prime 

Minister Jacinda Ardern, Police 

Commissioner Mike Bush, Race 

Relations Commissioner Meng 

Foon, Treaty Grounds Chairperson 

Pita Tipene and Chairperson 

of the Rūnanga a Iwi o Ngāpuhi 

Mere Mangu. 

Ms Ardern spoke of the bridge 

between two people. 

“On this 180th Waitangi Day, 

let us pledge to take a step across 

the bridge between our peoples, 

give us the perseverance in 

our daily lives to commit to a 

simple action that helps take us 

to the other side, and in doing 

so give us the courage to walk 

comfortably in each other’s 

shoes,” she said. 

Housing and child poverty 

She said that the government 

must address housing and child 

poverty before it can begin 

resolving wider aspirations for 

Maori. 

“New Zealand history should 

be taught in schools and more 

children should be learning Te 

Reo Maori,” she said, calling 

people to unite in kindness and 

care towards one another. 

She concluded her prayer with 

the last verse of the national 

anthem. 

After the Service, she and 

other ministers served breakfast. 

National Party leader Simon 

Bridges added the Waitangi Tribunal 

to the list of what he thinks 

New Zealand should eventually 

do away with. 

Deputy Prime Minister and 

Foreign Minister Winston Peters 

said that he wanted to see Māori 

parents, especially mothers 

encourage their children to be 

heroes, whether it is in sport, 

music or education. 

Māori Crown Relations Minister 

Kelvin Davis said that his 

vision for the future is for Pākehā 

and Māori to be comfortable in 

each other’s worlds. 

“Māori have been crossing 

the bridge into the Pākehā 

world since before the signing 

of the Treaty of Waitangi. I want 

Pākehā to cross the bridge into 

the Māori world, understand the 

customs and tikanga, so that they 

do not have to justify why they 

think and feel the way they do,” 

he said. 

Treaty breaches 

Destiny Church leader Brian 

Tamaki used his time on the 

podium to acknowledge the 

many breaches of the Treaty of 

Waitangi by the Crown since 

1840, including the taking of 

Māori land. 

He also called out the government 

for its failure to eliminate 

poverty among Māori. 

Former Maori Affairs Minister 

Sir Pita Sharples said that Hoani 

Waititi Marae is his dream and 

that he is proud of what has been 

achieved. 

About 10,000 people streamed 

into West Auckland’s Hoani 

Waititi Marae. 

The free event included 

performances by artistes like 

Kora, Katchafire and Troy Kingi 

among others 

Priyanca 

Radhakrishnan 

Labour List MP based in Maungakiekie 

Maungakiekie Office 

09 622 2660 

priyanca@parliament.govt.nz 

Level 1 Crighton House, 

100 Neilson St, Onehunga 

(entrance via Galway St) 

| | priyancanzlp 

Authorised by Priyanca Radhakrishnan 

Labour List MP, 100 Neilson St, Onehunga


Fijilink 

Conference recommends better promotion of Hindi 

Venkat Raman 

An international 

conference held in Fiji 

last fortnight highlighted 

the need to promote 

Hindi at all levels of education and 

ways and means of sustaining its 

standards. 

Sunita Narayan, Coordinator 

of the Wellington based Hindi 

School, who has been advocating 

for acceptance of Hindi in the 

New Zealand Curriculum along 

with Satya Dutt, President of the 

Papatoetoe (South Auckland) 

based Hindi Language and Culture 

Trust of New Zealand and Teach 

Hindi New Zealand, regarded the 

Conference held at Grand Pacific 

Hotel in Suva on January 25, 2020 

as the curtain-raiser to the World 

Hindi Conference scheduled to be 

held in Fiji next year. 

The one-day meeting was organised 

jointly by the Indian High 

Commission and the Fiji Ministry 

of Education, Heritage and Arts. 

Popularity of Fijian Hindi 

“It was the largest ever gathering 

of Hindi educators and enthusiasts 

for a Regional Conference on 

Hindi. The meeting raised the level 

of interest in Hindi in Fiji and the 

Pacific region. In particular, the 

Conference helped to highlight the 

popularity of Fijian Hindi,” she 

said. 

Her press note quoted Yogesh 

Kiran (Permanent Secretary at the 

Prime Minister’s Office, Suva) as 

saying that Fijian Hindi is unique 

India’s High Commissioner to Fiji Padmaja 

and PMO Permanent Secretary Yogesh Karan 

lighting the traditional lamp at the Conference 

(Picture from Facebook) 

in uniting Fijians. 

“We should be proud of our 

Fijian Hindi,” Mr Karan said. 

Earlier, in her welcome address, 

India’s High Commissioner to Fiji 

Padmaja spoke of the growing 

importance of Hindi and that it is a 

widely spoken language. 

Official guests and speakers 

Government officials who attended 

the Conference were Indian 

Council of Cultural Relations (New 

Delhi) Director General Akhilesh 

Mishra, World Hindi Secretariat 

(Mauritius) Director General Vinod 

Mishra), External Affairs Ministry 

(New Delhi) Deputy Secretary 

Hindi Harkesh Meena and Fiji 

Assistant Minister of Health Veena 

Bhatnagar. 

Among the other speakers were 

Teacup Productions Founder-Director 

(Hong Kong) Dr Priyanka Jain, 

Australian National University 

Assistant Professor and Reader 

in Hindi Dr Peter Friedlander, 

National University of Singapore 

Hindi Lecturer Dr Sandhya Singh 

Sunita Narayan speaking at the Conference 


, Melbourne University Hindi 

Translator Dr Mridul Kirti and Ms 

Narayan. 

They participated in five sessions 

to discuss ‘Hindi in Fiji,’ ‘Hindi Education 

in Fiji,’ ‘Hindi and Youth,’ 

‘Hindi Literature in the Pacific,’ 

and ‘Hindi and Technology’ and 

identified the need for evincing the 

interest of the younger members of 

the community on the language. 

“There is no doubt that Fiji and 

the South Pacific region must work 

together to strengthen the status of 

Hindi and Fiji Hindi in the region. 

Deliberations and feedback from 

the Conference are being compiled 

for review by the Hindi Section 

within the Ministry of External 

Affairs of the Indian government 

in New Delhi,” Ms Narayan said. 

She said that the Conference 

was followed by 71st Republic Day 

Celebration of India at which Fiji’s 

President Major-General (Retired) 

Jioji Konrote was the Chief Guest. 

“Ministers, Diplomats and New 

Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji 

President Major-General (Retired) Jioji Konrote 

at the Indian Republic Day Celebrations 


Jonathan Curr. 

About Fiji Hindi (Edited from 

Wikipedia) 

Fiji Hindi or Fijian Hindi is 

spoken by almost all Fijian citizens 

of Indian descent, though a few 

speak other languages at home. 

It is an Eastern Hindi language, 

generally considered to be an older 

dialect of the Awadhi language 

spoken in Central and East Uttar 

Pradesh. 

Fiji Hindi has been subject 

to considerable influence by 

Bhojpuri, Magahi and other Bihari 

languages. It has also borrowed 

some words from the English and 

Fijian languages. 

Many words unique to Fiji Hindi 

have been created to cater for 

the new environment in which 

Indo-Fijians now live. 

First-generation Indians in Fiji, 

who used the language as a lingua 

franca in Fiji, referred to it as Fiji 

Baat, ‘Fiji Talk.’ It is closely related 

to Caribbean Hindustani and the 

Hindustani language spoken in 

09 

Mauritius and South Africa. 

Language unifying Girmityas 

Girmityas (Indentured labourers 

from India taken to Fiji between 

1897 and 1916) mainly spoke 

dialects from the Hindi Belt. 

Initially, a majority of labourers 

came to Fiji from districts of Central 

and Eastern Uttar Pradesh and 

Bihar, while a small percentage 

hailed from North-West Frontier 

and South India such as Andhra 

Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the late 

19th and early 20th centuries. 

Over time, a distinct Indo-Aryan 

language with an Eastern 

Hindi substratum developed in 

Fiji, combining elements of the 

Hindi languages spoken in these 

areas with some native Fijian and 

English. The development of Fiji 

Hindi was accelerated by the need 

for labourers speaking different 

languages to work together and by 

the practice of leaving young children 

in early versions of day-care 

centres during working hours. 

Wide usage 

Thousands of Fiji-Indians 

have migrated to other countries 

(especially after the first coup in 

1987), mainly to Australia, New 

Zealand, United Kingdom, United 

States of America and Canada but 

have not forgotten Fijian Hindi. It 

continues to be their language of 

conversation at home, community 

gatherings and during private 

conversations. 

The Bible has been translated 

into Fiji Hindi and the University of 

the South Pacific offers courses in 

the language. Fiji Hindi is written 

using both the Latin script and the 

Devanagari script. 

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10 


Businesslink 

After Brexit, debate over future of EU continues 

Douglas Webber 

Brexit could radically change 

the UK. 

Both Scottish independence 

and Northern Ireland breaking 

away from Britain are conceivable 

and Boris Johnson’s government 

has a lot on his plate when it comes 

to negotiating the country’s future 

relationship with the EU, all the while 

delivering on the promised benefits 

of independence. 

For the EU, Brexit marks more of a 

return to business as usual. 

The prospective fallout of Brexit 

will be rather less far-reaching or 

dramatic. 

At the time of the 2016 referendum, 

there were widespread fears that 

Brexit would unleash a contagion 

effect among other member states 

that could destroy the EU. 

Unpopular Union 

Opinion surveys conducted at 

this time suggested that the EU had 

become extremely unpopular among 

citizens in many other member states 

and that, if they had also staged 

referendums on whether to leave the 

EU, the outcomes in some of them, 

notably in two of the biggest pioneer 

states, France and Italy, would have 

been very close. 

Three and a half years on, these 

fears have proved to be unfounded. 

Rather, as the citizens of the 

remaining 27 states have observed 

the destabilising impact that the referendum 

decision has had on British 

politics, they have been inoculated 

against the desire to secede from the 

EU. 

Outside the UK, national-populist 

parties have moderated their anti-EU 

rhetoric and nowadays profess to 

So far, Brexit has not been a good advertisement (Mia 

Elliott Smith/Shutterstock.com) 

Euroscepticism is a force in Italy (Giuseppe Barletta / 

Shutterstock.com) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Alexandros 

Michailidis/Shutterstock.com) 

want to change the EU from 

within instead of destroying it. 

Waning inoculation effect 

How lasting this inoculation 

effect proves to be depends to 

some extent on how, as it comes 

to be executed, Brexit affects 

the British economy, society and 

politics. 

The greater the success of 

Brexit, as perceived by citizens 

and elites in the remaining 

member states, the more likely 

it is that this inoculation effect of 

Brexit will wear off. 

But the attractiveness of 

secession from the EU is not 

shaped only by the perceived 

impact of Brexit, before and after 

its execution, but also by how 

well or badly the EU manages the 

major issues that confront it. The 

2016 UK referendum took place 

in the shadow of the eurozone 

and refugee crises, when the 

popularity of the EU among its 

citizens had reached its nadir. 

Since then, these crises have 

been contained and the EU’s 

popularity has recovered. 

Stable for now 

While the EU has stabilised 

these crises, it has failed to create 

the right instruments to achieve 

a lasting resolution of either of 

them. 

If they flare up again, as is likely, 

or if new crises should break 

out, anti-European sentiment 

will resurge and secession from 

the EU may return to the political 

agenda in some member states. 

The most likely candidates 

would probably then be larger 

member states whose citizens 

feel less dependent on the EU 

for their economic and physical 

security. 

The states that did not fare 

well in the refugee or eurozone 

crisis and where the EU is 

already politically contested. 

Hence France and, above all, 

Italy. 

Meanwhile, the general political 

orientation and day-to-day 

functioning of the EU will not be 

much affected by Brexit, either 

negatively or positively. 

A member of neither the euro 

nor the Schengen zone, the UK 

did not belong to the EU’s core 

mechanisms. 

In an earlier era, the UK was 

the co-architect of important 

EU initiatives such as the single 

market, Eastern enlargement 

and security and defence policy. 

But by the time of the Brexit 

referendum it had relegated 

itself to the EU’s margins. 

In recent times, no other EU 

member state regarded the UK as 

its most important partner in the 

EU. For 18 of the 27 other member 

states, this was Germany, for 

three it was France. 

For sure, some member 

states – those closest to the UK in 

their overall political orientation, 

such as the Netherlands and 

the Scandinavian members, or 

former British colonies, such as 

Malta and Cyprus, will miss the 

UK more than others. 

But the post-Brexit EU is 

unlikely to change significantly. 

And the north-western European 

member states have organised 

themselves into a new coalition 

akin to the old Hanseatic League 

to fill the vacuum left by the UK 

on economic and fiscal issues. 

Deep rifts remain 

It would be misplaced to think that 

the UK’s secession will make the EU 

more cohesive, however. The eurozone 

and migration crises, in neither 

of which the UK was a protagonist, 

showed how deep the political rifts 

are – north-south and east-west – that 

can divide the remaining 27 member 

states. 

As in the past, how effectively such 

crises are mediated and how well the 

EU survives them will depend on the 

willingness and capacity of its key 

member states – Germany and France 

– to provide the other members with 

leadership that these can accept and 

that holds the EU together. 

Already during the crises of the last 

decade, including Brexit, the French 

and German governments were not 

always willing or able to provide such 

leadership. Shifting domestic political 

constellations in both Paris and Berlin 

could curtail this even further. 

Next year’s German Parliamentary 

elections and the next French Presidential 

election in 2022 will both be 

moments to watch. 

In one key respect, the EU will 

never be the same again after Brexit. 

The teleological notion of “ever 

closer union” and that the process of 

European integration is irreversible 

(dear to many scholars and champions 

of European integration) has 

been decisively refuted. No one can 

assume safely that history has had 

its last word on how European states 

organise their relations with each 

other. 

Douglas Webber is Professor of Political 

Science at the INSEAD based 

in Fontainebleau, France. The 

above articles and pictures have 

been published under Creative 

Commons Licence.

JANUARY 15, 2019 

Businesslink 

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12 


Viewlink 

The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999) 

ISSUE 432 | FEBRUARY 15, 2020 

New India with agenda for a better world 

India’s Foreign Policy is a 

model for just diplomacy 

Immigration figures dispel 

a popular myth 

Our front page story in 

this issue carries some 

interesting statistics. 

Indians (from anywhere 

in the world) have taken 

the lion’s share of all approvals 

of all types of visas processed 

and approved in the three years 

covering 2017 to 2019 than the 

previous three years- from 2014 

to 2016. 

These figures dispel a popular 

myth- that the current government 

is against immigration. 

The total number of visas 

issued to Indians was 468,652 

between 2017 and 2019, 

accounting for a rise of 56.25% 

over the previous three-year 

period under the National 

government. 

These prove that the immigration 

process is not subject to any 

Party in power but dictated by 

the needs of the economy. 

These figures should also put 

to rest the rhetoric that the New 

Zealand First Party in general 

and its Leader Winston Peters 

in particular is against immigration- 

per se Indians. 

Defending Immigration 

Looking around the developed 

world, most governments 

are in favour of immigration, 

despite equally vociferous 

defenders, who often fight on 

nativist turf, citing data to respond 

to claims about migrants’ 

damaging effects on wages or 

public services. Those data are 

indeed on migrants’ side. 

Though some research 

suggests that native workers 

with skill levels similar to 

those of arriving migrants take 

a hit to their wages because 

of increased migration, most 

analyses find that they are not 

harmed, and that many eventually 

earn more as competition 

nudges them to specialise in 

more demanding occupations. 

Self-interest Strategy 

Appeal to self-interest is 

a more effective strategy. In 

countries with acute demographic 

challenges, migration 

is a solution to the challenges 

posed by ageing: immigrants’ 

tax payments help fund native 

pensions; they can help ease 

a shortage of care workers. 

In New Zealand for instance, 

people worry that foreigners 

compete with New Zealanders 

for the care of the Public Health 

Service, but pay less attention to 

the migrants helping to staff the 

system. 

Donations to political parties 

should be transparent 

In less than three weeks 

after the date of general 

election 2020 was announced, 

there has been a 

free trade of accusations – all 

to do with donations given to 

political parties. 

It is time our political parties 

commit themselves to be more 

transparent with the donations 

that they receive to eliminate 

speculations and worse, 

allegations. 

Our Electoral Laws are rigid 

and clear. Political parties must 

report to the Electoral Commission 

every individual, institution 

or contributor donating more 

than $15,000 in a year, every 

anonymous donation and 

overseas donation that is over 

than $1500. 

Effective January 1, 2020, 

Party Secretaries are forbidden 

from accepting donations or 

contributions of more than $50 

from anyone overseas. 

While there is nothing new 

(or nothing wrong) in political 

parties receiving donations 

from individuals, companies 

and other organisations, although 

donations from overseas 

may carry difficult demands. 

However, they should be 

made public so as to avoid 

speculation and accusations. 

The British example 

Lord Alistair McAlpine, who 

was an Advisor (the Economist 

called him ‘The Chief Money 

Man’) to Margaret Thatcher 

during her tenure as Prime 

Minister of Britain recalls in his 

memoir, ‘Once a Jolly Bagman,’ 

how the man he blames for his 

heroine’s fall had been directly 

involved in raising money from 

foreign businessmen. Mr Major 

denied it. 

Political parties have only 

themselves to blame if they 

continue to be embarrassed by 

allegations. 

The obsessive secrecy with 

which they have shrouded their 

finances has given free rein to 

their opponents. More fantasy 

is probably written about party 

funding than any other political 

subject. New Zealand elections 

are still remarkably cheap. The 

two biggest parties are each 

expected to spend between $3 

million to $3.5 million centrally 

in the forthcoming election 

campaign. 

The ACT Party, which won 

in just one constituency and 

returned on MP, spent more 

than $600.000 in 2017. 

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 

Manish Chand 

Purposeful, Pragmatic, and Proactive. 

Shaper, not an abstainer; 

stabiliser, rather than a disruptor; 

a net security provider and a 

dispenser of global good. 

India’s foreign policy has found a new 

vocabulary and framework, as articulated 

with masterly precision by External 

Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam 

Jaishankar (at the Raisina Dialogue 

held in New Delhi from January 14 to 

January 16, 2020). 

In foreign policy, words matter, and 

hence this new lexicon of a rising India 

fittingly encapsulates the current form 

and trajectory of the country’s foreign 

policy in a world undergoing unprecedented 

transformation. 

Proactive emerging power 

Purposeful pursuit of national interests, 

pragmatic issue-based alignments 

with countries, big and small, and 

proactive diplomatic outreach have 

come to characterise and configure 

India’s foreign policy and diplomacy in 

the 21st century. 

Powering diverse strands of India’s 

foreign policy is the overarching goal of 

transforming lives of over 1.3 billon people 

living in the country and spurring 

the country’s rise as a leading power in 

an increasingly multipolar world. 

A new India is emerging in the second 

decade of the 21st century, which is 

proactively shaping the international 

agenda on a wide array of cross-cutting 

issues, including climate change, 

sustainable development, counter-terrorism, 

maritime security and the 

reconfiguration of global governance 

architecture. 

This new India, with its around $3 

trillion economy and surging aspirations 

of over 1.3 billion people, is poised to 

reclaim its place under the global Sun. 

In a wide-ranging conversation on 

The India Way at the Raisina Dialogue, 

Dr Jaishankar illuminated key features 

of a new foreign policy for a new India. 

Decider, not abstainer 

“The India way would be to be more 

of a decider or a shaper rather than an 

abstainer,” he said while stressing that 

India has made a difference in the last 

few years on issues like climate change 

or connectivity. 

Most important, he fleshed out the 

kind of power India will be in the next 

few years. 

“It is not the India way to be a 

disruptive power internationally, we 

should be a stabilising power. It is also 

not the India way to be self-centred and 

to be mercantilist. The India way would 

be a country which brings its capacities 

to bear on the international system for 

global good,” he said. 

Driven by the ethos of mutual 

empowerment, India has shared funds, 

technology and expertise with countries 

in Africa, Asia, Latin America and 

Kris Faafoi vacates electoral seat 

Kris Faafoi has announced that he 

will give up his Mana electorate 

seat in favour of new Labour 

Member of Parliament in the 

general election 2020. 

He will instead contest as a List Candidate 

in the upcoming polls on September 

19, 2020. 

Mr Faafoi is a Cabinet Minister holding 

the portfolios of Broadcasting, Communications 

and Digital Media, Commerce 

and Consumer Affairs and Government 

Digital Services and responsibilities for 

Housing as Associate Minister will have 

a safe ranking to enable him to return to 

Parliament after the general election. 

The Mana electorate, which is to the 

North of Wellington was created in 1996. 

Mr Faafoi issued the following 

Statement: 

Electorate for new talent 

The decision to run as a List candidate 

has been made with a heavy heart but 

Fruits of India’s efforts will be for the world: 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN 

General Assembly on September 29, 2019 

(UN Picture) 

Eastern Europe. 

This development cooperation, 

channelised through Lines of Credit and 

grants, includes assistance in capacity 

building, training and enhanced cooperation 

in education and health. 

In the spirit of South-South solidarity, 

India has committed around $29 billion 

in Line of Credit for a host of development 

projects in 160 countries. 

Diplomatic Outreach 

As India’s global stature rises, the 

Indian government has also embarked 

on an unprecedented diplomatic 

outreach to mobilise global support for 

national resurgence. 

Cutting across hemispheres, the last 

few years have seen a record number of 

high-level incoming and outgoing visits 

at the level of President, Prime Minister, 

Vice-President, External Affairs Minister 

and Ministers. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone 

has travelled to over 70 countries in the 

last five and a half years. In an evolving 

multipolar world, India has chosen the 

path of multi-alignment which entails 

forging issues-based alignments with 

like-minded countries and major power 

centres, without getting into ‘us versus 

them’ zero sum games. 

What animates this multifarious 

diplomatic outreach is the mantra of 

diplomacy for development which seeks 

to promote national resurgence. 

With the Indian government setting 

an ambitious target of creating a $5 trillion 

economy, the foreign policy is being 

directed to harness the network of 

partnerships with all friendly countries 

to create a ‘New India’ by 2022, the 75th 

anniversary of India’s independence, as 

promised by Mr Modi. 

Development focus 

Development-focused diplomacy is 

seen in the interweaving of flagship 

schemes of national renewal like 

‘Make in India,’ ‘Smart Cities,’ ‘Skill 

India’ and ‘Stand-up India’ with India’s 

diplomatic outreach. Forging robust and 

sustainable partnerships in technology, 

innovation and start-ups will be crucial 

to creating a New India, and making 

India count on the global stage. 

Doubling GDP to $5 trillion economy 

is not possible without a conducive 

international environment and supportive 

external partnerships. 

Shaping Global Agenda 

Looking ahead, with its growing global 

stature and rising expectations the 

world has of a resurgent India, Mr Modi 

has advocated reformed multilateralism 

to create a new world order that reflects 

the ongoing shift of power and realities 

of the 21st century. 

India has also taken the lead in 

Kris Faafoi, Member of Parliament 

elected from Mana 

Electorate. 

creates space for new 

talent to come through 

at the election. I have 

loved every second of 

representing the people 

of Mana, but now is a 

good time to bring a fresh 

candidate through to 

bolster the Labour team in 

Parliament. 

I will continue to be a 

strong advocate for the 

people of Mana right up 

until the next Labour candidate 

is elected here on 

Election Day and beyond. 

Over the last ten years, it 

has been a huge privilege 

to serve the people of 

Mana. I know that they 

will be well served by my 

replacement. 

Slice of Heaven 

I am committed to this 

Government continuing 

its bold and ambitious 

programme of work after 

the election to help all New 

Zealanders benefit from 

the opportunities this wonderful 

country has to give. 

I believe that I continue to 

have something to offer the 

next Government hence I 

will be on the Party List. 

I want to thank the 

India is not an abstainer but a stabiliser: Dr 

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Raisina 

Dialogue, New Delhi, January 15, 2020 

(PTI Picture) 

combating climate change by fulfilling 

its commitments under the Paris Accord 

and taking a series of initiatives for 

promoting a low-carbon economy. 

In recognition of New Delhi’s leadership 

role in this area, more countries 

are joining the International Solar 

Alliance that seeks to usher in a white 

revolution for a clean and green world. 

India has launched a new international 

initiative called the Coalition for 

Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which 

is finding greater global support. 

Brand India 

In mapping the way ahead, cultural 

diplomacy and civilisational values will 

acquire a greater salience in India’s 

foreign policy. 

Home to all major religions and 

diverse cultures, the idea of India as a 

vibrant pluralistic society has struck a 

chord making the world more amenable 

to India’s aspirations. 

This cultural connect is reflected in 

myriad ways, ranging from the worldwide 

celebrations of the International 

Day of Yoga and the designation of 

Kumbh Mela as Intangible Cultural 

Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. 

In building a New India, the 

25-million strong Indian Diaspora, 

spread across different countries and 

continents, will play an important role. 

As Dr Jaishankar said, while alluding 

to the extraordinary Indian diaspora 

and Indian culture and heritage: “The 

India way would be really Brand India. 

Brand India in terms of what is unique 

to us as a power.” 

Mr Modi encapsulated the essence of 

Brand India, during his address at the 

UN General Assembly in New York on 

September 29, 2019. 

“All our endeavours are centred on 

1.3 billion Indians. But the dreams that 

these efforts are trying to fulfil, are the 

same dreams that the entire world has, 

that every country has, and that every 

society has. The efforts are ours, but 

their fruits are for all, for the entire 

world,” he said. 

Going forward, as it scripts its global 

ascent on its own terms, India will 

have to relentlessly assert its strategic 

autonomy as it navigates geopolitical 

rivalries to make independent decisions 

that benefit people of the country. 

This will entail dovetailing diplomacy 

with development and interweaving 

foreign policy with an unclouded vision 

of India as a leading power with a 

unique voice and narrative in a rapidly 

transforming world order. 

Manish Chand is Editor-in-Chief 

of India and the World magazine 

and India Writes Network, a portal 

focused on global affairs. 

people of Mana for their 

trust in me over the past 

ten years. From Linden, 

in the South, the beautiful 

Titahi Bay, the vibrancy 

of Porirua East, Northern 

Porirua, which I call home, 

to the south of the Kapiti 

Coast, each community has 

a heart of battlers looking 

after their slice of heaven. 

I want to thank them 

for their faith in me and 

reaffirm that, while I 

may be calling time as an 

electorate MP, I have not 

knocked off yet and, if I am 

returned to Parliament, I 

will be a supporting voice 

for the next MP for Mana 

and a dedicated advocate 

of the Government’s work 

to help New Zealanders 

realise their goals and 

aspirations.


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14 


Businesslink 

Partnership with patience unlocks potential in India 

Two corporate leaders 

share their experience 

on NZITA platform 

Venkat Raman 

Patience and passion are two 

important attributes for 

success in doing business 

with India, two corporate 

leaders have said. 

Alan Pollard and Carmen 

Vicelich, Chief Executives of respectively 

NZ Apples and Pears Inc and 

Valocity Limited, said that while 

India offers immense commercial 

and industrial opportunities, our 

businesses and investors should 

know the ways and means of 

unlocking the immense potential. 

They were the main speakers 

at New Zealand-India Dialogue 

Series conducted regularly by the 

Auckland based New Zealand India 

Trade Alliance (NZITA), the first of 

which for the New Year was held 

at the Northern Club in Central 

Auckland on February 4, 2020. 

Strategic Partnership 

“Trade with India should be considered 

as Strategic Partnership, not 

just a transaction and the approach 

should be one of cooperation and 

collaboration,” Mr Pollard said. 

He said that New Zealanders 

should be able and be ready to 

provide technical knowhow and 

skills transfer to their Indian counterparts. 

Exchange Programmes 

and discussions on evolving issues 

concerning Intellectual Property 

should also be a part of the engagement 

he said. 

Make India your Strategic Partner: Alan Pollard 

speaking at the NZITA Meeting (with Surinder Ogra) 

Citing the example of his own 

company, Mr Pollard said that NZ 

Apples and Pears Inc has been 

involved with the development of 

Apple cultivation in the Northern 

Indian State of Himachal Pradesh 

over the past 40 years. 

Indian Apple industry 

“In India, apples are grown only 

in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand 

and Jammu & Kashmir. The sector 

in Himachal Pradesh needs rejuvenation 

and we are offering our 

expertise and help under a World 

Bank funded project,” he said. 

Mr Pollard said that New Zealand 

is considered as the Number 1 in 

apple production in the world, 

rated thus because of healthy 

orchard practices and innovation. 

These have helped in higher yield 

per hectare compared to other 

countries. 

“Doing business with India can 

be as challenging and daunting as 

some of the terrains where apples 

are grown. The greatest challenge 

that we face is the high tariffs, 

which is about 50%,” he said. 

Building Relationship 

Auckland based Valocity Limited 

was the winner of the ‘Business 

Personal contacts work better in India: 

Carmen Vicelich 

Excellence in International Trade 

with India’ at the 12th Annual 

Indian Newslink Indian Business 

Awards 2019. 

Ms Vicelich said that the first step 

of success was her decision to fly 

across the sky to India for one-toone 

discussion with prospective 

customers rather than converse 

over Skype. 

“We should work with people 

and build relationships. Patience 

and passion are two very important 

attributes necessary for success in 

the Indian market,” she said. 

Valocity Limited has developed 

a world class, scalable, modular 

platform with no geographical 

boundaries. Unique to the property 

valuation industry, the Company 

utilises data analytics capability of 

its parent organisation to provide a 

software platform that automates 

and collaborates between the 

various customer groups. 

Specific solutions for India 

“The ability and willingness to 

think and work out solutions that 

are specific to the Indian market 

It is the innovative mindset of 

Valocity Limited that solved the 

issues faced by the banking, finance 

Indian Budget 2020 high on investments, low on taxation 

Nirmala Sitharaman 

perceives Aspirational 

India with a 

Caring Society 

Venkat Raman 

Innovative programmes to intensify 

public private partnerships, 

incentives to promote foreign 

direct investment and further 

domestic investor interest and 

massive investments in infrastructure 

and other projects are among the 

highlights of the second annual 

budget of Finance Minister Nirmala 

Sitaraman in the Indian Parliament 

last night. 

Notwithstanding criticisms from 

quarters, Ms Sitaraman deserves 

credit for her approach to fiscal 

management, taxation and public 

spending. Budget 2020 is again expansionary, 

which is in consonance of the 

needs of the economy as it sits in a 

challenging space. 

Economic Survey highlights 

The Budget should also be 

studied along with the findings of the 

Economic Survey of India 2019-2020, 

released a day earlier. It projects the 

economic growth rate at 6% to 6.4% 

in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, with 

industrial and agricultural growth 

estimated respectively at 2.9% and 

2.8%. 

The Report said that India is 

progressing on its holistic approach to 

Climate Change and that it is on track 

to achieving its Nationally Determined 

Contributions under the Paris 

Agreement in accordance with the 

principles Common but Differentiated 

Responsibilities. 

Based on the core theme of ‘Aspirational 

India, Economic Development 

and a Caring Society,’ her Budget 

speech spoke about structural 

reforms undertaken by the Narendra 

Modi government since 2014 and 

the tax reliefs that has been given to 

common people in India. 

New Personal Income Tax Regime 

Ms Sitaraman proposed a new 

tax regime, saying that substantial 

India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman 

presenting Budget 2020 in Lok Sabha yesterday 

(February 1, 2020) PTI Picture 

tax benefit will accrue to a taxpayer 

depending upon exemptions and 

deductions claimed by them. 

Income tax exemption will be lifted 

to Rs 5 lakh (about $108.500) to those 

who are willing to forego exemptions. 

To simplify the tax system and lower 

tax rates, about 70 of more than 100 

income tax deductions have been 

removed. 

For example, a person earning Rs 

15 lakh (about $324,350) in a year 

and not availing any deductions 

will pay only Rs 195,000 ($4217) as 

compared to Rs 273,000 ($5900) in the 

old regime. 

“Thus their tax burden shall be 

reduced by Rs 78,000 ($1687) in the 

new regime. They would still be 

gainers in the new regime even if 

they were taking a deduction of Rs 1.5 

Lakh ($3244) under various sections 

of Chapter VI-A of the Income Tax Act 

under the old regime,” she said. 

Ms Sitharaman said that the new 

tax regime will be optional and that 

any person currently availing more 

deductions and exemptions under the 

Income Tax Act may choose to avail 

them and continue to pay tax under 

the old regime. 

GST Maturing 

The Goods & Services Tax (GST) introduced 

in July 2017 has often been 

criticised as ‘excessive, cumbersome 

and difficult administer,’ while the 

States said that their share of the tax 

was less. 

Ms Sitharaman said that the 

scheme has been gradually maturing 

into a tax that has integrated the 

country economically. 

“It has consolidated numerous taxes and cesses 

to one tax and facilitated formalisation of economy. 

It has resulted in the efficiency gains in logistic and 

transport sectors. The turnaround time for trucks 

has witnessed a substantial reduction to the tune 

of 20% due to abolition of check posts in GST. The 

dreaded Inspector-Raj has also vanished,” she said. 

She said that GST regime has accrued benefits 

to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Claiming 

that the effective tax incidence on almost every 

commodity has came down substantially, she said 

that an annual benefit of Rs One lakh crore (about 

$21 billion) has been extended to consumers, accounting 

for 10% reduction in overall tax incidence. 

An average household now saves about 4% on its 

monthly spend, at reduced GST rates. 

Rise in FDI 

Ms Sitharaman said that India is the fifth largest 

A double treat on India: NZITA Deputy Chairman 

Dr Don Brash Pictures Supplied by NZITA 

and lending institutions. We digitized 

the process of validating the 

value of a property and created an 

ecosystem where lenders, valuers, 

consumers and brokers have been 

connected on a cloud platform,” she 

said. 

The company uses intensive 

customer engagement to develop a 

solution which matches customer 

requirements and a strong strategic 

planning culture that ensures 

implementation and exceeds 

expectation. 

Earlier, welcoming guests, NZITA 

Chairman Giri Gupta said that 

working partnerships has always 

the objective of the organisation. 

He said that he and members of 

the Executive Committee are proactive 

and said that there have been 

occasions when they travelled to 

India specially to arrange meeting 

with Ministers in New Delhi to facilitate 

the commercial engagement of 

one of its members. 

Growing market 

Vice Chairman Dr Don Brash (former 

Reserve Bank of New Zealand 

Governor) described the two main 

speeches (of Mr Pollard and Ms 

Vicelich) as ‘Two Main Courses.’ 

economy in the world. 

“India’s Foreign Direct 

Investment got elevated to the 

level of US$ 284 billion during 

2014-2019 from US$ 190 

billion that came in during the 

years 2009-2014. The Central 

Government debt that has 

been the bane of our economy 

got reduced in March 2019 

to 48.7% of GDP from a level 

of 52.2% in March 2014,” she 

said. 

She said that there was 

a case for maximising the 

benefits of three separately developing 

economic activities: 

(1) the upcoming economic 

corridors (2) revitalisation 

of manufacturing activities 

and (3) Technology and the 

demands of aspirational 

classes. 

“We have to benefit from 

their convergence. Hence, it is 

proposed to develop five new 

smart cities in collaboration 

with States in PPP mode. Such 

sites would be chosen that 

offer the best choices in terms 

of aforementioned principles,” 

she said. 

Infrastructure Spend 

Mr Modi had announced in 

his Independence Day Speech 

on August 15, 2019 that his 

government would invest Rs 

100 lakh crore ($210 billion) 

over the next five years. 

Ms Sitharaman said that 

she launched the National 

Infrastructure Pipeline at an 

estimated cost of Rs 103 lakh 

crore (about $216 billion). 

“It consists of more 

than 6500 projects across 

sectors and are classified 

as per their size and stage 

of development. These new 

projects will include housing, 

safe drinking water, access to 

clean and affordable energy, 

healthcare for all, world-class 

educational institutes, modern 

railway stations, airports, bus 

terminals, metro and railway 

transportation, logistics and 

warehousing, irrigation and 

“Their insights into the 

Indian market provided valuable 

information. India is a growing 

market of 1.3 billion people with an 

expanding middle class and soaring 

demand for quality goods and 

services. India is literally hungry 

for the type of products that New 

Zealand can offer,” he said. 

Dr Brash said that NZITA 

works with a strong network of 

Indian trade organisations to 

establish, build and promote trade, 

investment, sporting and cultural 

links between New Zealand and 

India. We have key industry and 

Government connections, plus 

chapters in India. 

“It is an exciting time. India is on 

the rise. As Kiwis, we have a unique 

opportunity to connect and grow 

our markets in the Indian sub-continent. 

Our historic links with India, 

cricket and strong Kiwi-Indian 

business community gives New 

Zealand some definite advantages, 

combined with the right guidance,” 

he said. 

World turns East 

General Secretary Surinder Ogra 

spoke about the trends in trade 

over the past 50 years. Across 

industries, trade flows have been 

shifting away from US, UK and 

Europe (West) to the East. With 

the burgeoning middle-class, India 

occupies an important space in our 

future trade flows,” he said. 

He said that while goods exports 

to India have grown by a small 

percentage in the past five years, 

services exports increased from 

$408 million to $1.3 billion. 

“This is a worldwide trend where 

physical goods going across the 

borders is reducing and Services 

sector is growing,” he said. 

projects. The National Infrastructure 

Pipeline envisions 

improving the ease of living 

for each individual citizen 

in the country. It’s also will 

bring in generic and sectoral 

reforms in development, 

operation and maintenance of 

these infrastructure projects,” 

she said. 

Agriculture, Health and 

Education 

The government would 

provide further incentives to 

State governments that have 

implemented Model Agricultural 

Land Leasing Act, 2016, 

Model Agricultural Produce 

and Livestock Marketing 

(Promotion and Facilitation) 

Act, 2017 and Model Agricultural 

Produce and Livestock 

Contract Farming and Services 

(Promotion and Facilitation) 

Act, 2018. 

The government’s holistic 

vision of healthcare would 

include expansion of the 

‘Indradhanush’ scheme to 

cover 12 diseases, focus on 

water safety, comprehensive 

sanitation, more hospitals 

under the PPP formula and 

other programmes. 

“By 2030, India is set to 

have the largest working-age 

population in the world. Not 

only do they need literacy but 

they need both job and life 

skills. Dialogues have been 

held with State Education 

Ministries, Members of Parliament 

and other stake-holders 

about Education policy. The 

New Education Policy will 

be announced soon,” Ms 

Sitharaman said. 

Some criticisms 

One critic has said that the 

Budget has missed several 

important points, another 

said that it does not address 

management of deficits, while 

a third complained that the 

Finance Minister has forfeited 

the efforts to revive the 

economy. We will discuss these 

in another analysis.


Court upholds Council decision on accommodation rates 


The decision of the Auckland 

High Court to dismiss an 

application of Accommodation 

Provider Targeted Rate (APTR) 

has not surprised Auckland Mayor Phil 

Goff. 

Nonetheless, he is pleased with the 

decision. 

APTR is charged to hotels, motels, 

serviced apartments and online accommodation 

providers that are rented 

for more than 28 nights per year on 

websites like AirBnB and Bookabach. 

The revenue raised is used to help 

fund the activities of Auckland Tourism, 

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff 

Events and Economic Development 

(ATEED), the council agency tasked with 

growing Auckland’s visitor economy. 

In May 2018, Auckland Council 

was served with legal proceedings 

challenging the decision by the Council 

to establish the rate in 2017. 

High Court Justice Simon Moore delivered 

the judgement on Wednesday. 

February 5, 2020. 

Common sense tool 

Mr Goff said that tourism has been 

booming and that it was fair that those 

benefitting from ratepayer-funded 

tourism promotion pay a fair share 

rather than that cost falling entirely on 

ratepayers. 

“The targeted rate is a commonsense 

tool that ensures accommodation 

providers who directly benefit from 

Kiwis want crackdown on social media companies 

Marc Daalder 

Most New Zealanders want 

social media companies to 

be liable for exposing users 

to harm and think that Big 

Tech companies are not doing enough 

to control extremist content online, 

according to a new survey. 

InternetNZ Annual Internet Insights 

study found that a large majority of 

Kiwis surveyed supported a crackdown 

on social media companies. 

Questions around the liability of social 

media companies for exposing their 

users to harm and the proliferation of 

extremist content online were asked for 

the first time in this year’s study, in the 

wake of the Christchurch terror attack. 

The survey found 71% of people 

agreed that New Zealand “should implement 

legal consequences for social 

media companies who expose their 

users to harm” and just 14% disagreed. 

Meanwhile, 61% disagreed that “so- 

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg 

(Reuters Picture) 

cial media companies are doing a good 

job of controlling extremist content 

online,” while 15% agreed. 

Forum for extremists 

InternetNZ study also reported that 

53% of New Zealanders are extremely 

or very concerned that the internet “is a 

forum for extremist material and hate 

speech” and another 29% said that they 

were “a little bit concerned.’ 

Just 3% wee not at all concerned. 

This ranked as the seventh highest 

concern for Kiwis, behind fears around 

children accessing inappropriate 

content, cyberbullying and identity 

theft but ahead of misinformation and 

lack of access in poor or rural areas. 

Meeting public expectations 

InternetNZ Engagement Director 

Andrew Cushen told Newsroom that 

these numbers showed “there is still 

work to be done here in terms of public 

expectation.” 

He also explained that these concerns 

may have ranked seventh because 

they are relatively new. “These other 

concerns have a consistent narrative 

around them in this country, around 

cyberbullying, security of private data 

and online crime. They have been 

part of our consciousness and part of 

how we respond and manage our lives 

online for some time.” 

“Straight off the block, that a new 

issue in terms of terrorism and violent 

extremism online is already receiving 

concern from a majority of respondents, 

I think is notable.” 

These findings come after Newsroom 

reported last week that the Government 

will reform the country’s censorship 

regime, making it illegal to livestream 

objectionable content, granting certain 

agencies the ability to issue take-down 

notices to websites and fine non-compliant 

sites, and introducing a system 

for the creation of internet filters. 

tourism are contributing to the costs 

associated with promoting events and 

marketing Auckland to the world. 

When we introduced the targeted 

rate, we did so in a fair and transparent 

manner, following significant 

public consultation and good faith 

engagement with the accommodation 

industry. More than two thirds of 

Aucklanders who submitted on the rate 

supported it,” he said. 

Mr Goff said that he was pleased 

that the Court has found that the 

decision to set the targeted rate was not 

unreasonable, that the Council was not 

in breach of the Local Government Act, 

and that it has ultimately dismissed the 

application for review. 

Maritime threats and prospects redefine Indo-Pacific concept 

Huma Siddiqui 

The acceptance of the Indo-Pacific 

as a single strategic construct 

linking the contiguous waters 

of the Western Pacific and the 

Indian Ocean has gained currency in 

the last few years with the shift in the 

geopolitical center of gravity to this 

region. 

Globalisation, trade dependence, the 

seamless connectivity of the maritime 

domain and the changing nature of the 

maritime threat becoming more transnational 

in nature has blurred physical 

boundaries and raised awareness of the 

importance of ensuring secure seas for 

the unhindered movement of trade and 

energy. 

The Chinese Challenge 

This has also coincided with the remarkable 

rise of China, unprecedented 

historically by its sheer scale and ambition. 

Its territorial claims in the South 

China Sea, its belligerence in the East 

China Sea and its rapid advance into 

the Indian Ocean through ambitious 

strategic and economic initiatives like 

the Belt-and-Road Initiative have challenged 

the established an international 

rules-based system which respected 

the oceans as the common heritage of 

mankind. 

The Indo-Pacific construct means 

different things to different people. 

For the US, it extends up to the 

Westcoast of India which is also the 

geographic boundary of the US Indo-Pacific 

command, whereas for India, it 

includes the entire Indian Ocean and 

the Western Pacific as highlighted 

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 

his keynote speech at the Shangrila 

Dialogue in 2018. 

What did Prime Minister Modi say at 

Shangrila Dialogue in 2018? 

Indian concept of Indo-Pacific 

In his speech he had clearly indicated 

the geographical reach of India’s idea 

of the Indo-Pacific starting from Africa 

to the Americas, which covers both the 

Narendra Modi sends a clear message at the Shangrila Dialogue in Singapore on June 1, 2018 

(Picture Courtesy: Asian Age) 

Indian and Pacific Oceans, in tandem 

with that of Japan. 

He had also emphasised on a few 

major aspects which reflect India’s policy 

perspective on Indo-Pacific, which 

included ‘inclusiveness,’ ‘openness,’ 

‘ASEAN centrality’ and that the concept 

was not directed against any country. 

Similarly, while the US does not 

consider China a part of its Indo-Pacific 

construct, India has gone to great length 

to highlight it as an inclusive construct 

for the whole region, a fact also 

highlighted by Mr Modi at the same 

Shangrila Dialogue. 

The other major powers which can 

shape the regional maritime environment 

like Japan, Australia, South 

Korea and the ASEAN nations too have 

differing perspectives. 

The focus of the Indo Pacific initiative 

is on connectivity, enhancing maritime 

security, counterterrorism, non-proliferation 

and cyber issues. 

In November 2018, senior officials 

from the US, Australia, India, and Japan 

had met in Singapore for consultations 

on the Indo Pacific region; and all had 

re-affirmed a shared commitment to 

maintain and strengthen a rules-based 

order in the Indo-Pacific in which all 

nations are sovereign, strong and prosperous; 

and shared support for a free, 

open and inclusive region that fosters 

universal respect for international law, 

freedom of navigation and overflight 

and sustainable development. 

Indo-Pacific Maritime Cooperation 

The major focus of the Indo-Pacific is 

based on oceans, which is the common 

thread that connects all. Countries 

including India, Indonesia, Singapore, 

and Sri Lanka, primarily maritime 

nations, occupy the most important 

strategic positions in the Indian Ocean. 

The government has introduced the 

concept of SAGAR (Security And Growth 

for All in the Region) and believes in 

an Indo-Pacific that is free, open and 

inclusive, and one that is founded upon 

a cooperative and collaborative rulesbased 

order. 

In continuation of the process of 

engaging the global strategic community 

in an annual review of India’s 

opportunities and challenges in the 

Indo-Pacific region, the second edition 

of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 

2019 was held in New Delhi in March 

2019. 

The participating countries discussed 

five main issues including solutions 

for achieving cohesion in the region 

through maritime connectivity; what 

steps can be taken to attain and 

maintain a free-and-open Indo-Pacific; 

a regional approach to the region’s 

transition from the existing ‘Brown’ to 

a ‘Blue’ economy; what is the opportunities 

and challenges arising from 

the maritime impact of ‘Industry 4.0’; 

and India’s ‘SAGAR’ and ‘SAGARMALA’ 

could be made mutually-reinforcing on 

a regional level. 

Countries of the Indo-Pacific, 

including Australia, Bangladesh, 

Canada, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, 

Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Sri 

Lanka, the United Kingdom, and the 

United States of America participated. 

The theme of this annual dialogue is 

a review of India’s opportunities and 

challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Improving Indo-China relations 

Being extremely careful of its 

relationship with China, India has tried 

to keep away from several military and 

naval exercises. 

From the economic point of view, 

relationship with China, as it is India’s 

largest trading partner, and from a 

security perspective, the standoff in the 

Doklam Valley, which brought the two 

countries to a confrontation, followed 

by the Wuhan informal summit, efforts 

are on to improve ties. 

Though it is one of the major 

Indo-Pacific powers, it has not allowed 

countries like Australia to participate 

in the annual, Indian-led multinational 

Exercise Malabar. 

The first Malabar naval exercise was 

a joint Indo-US Naval exercise which 

started in 1992. 

However, there was a gap from 1998- 

2002 when the exercise was suspended 

due to India’s nuclear weapons tests. 

Since 2002, every year, there has been 

the naval drill and Japan became a 

Businesslink 

15 

Ensuing events 

Among the coming events, in part 

funded by the rate, are the World Rally 

Championship, the Round the World 

Ocean Race stopover, the Women’s 

Rugby World Cup, the annual Winter 

Festival and events such as the NZ Fashion 

Week. These will bring thousands of 

visitor bed nights to the city from which 

the industry benefits. 

Finance and Planning Committee 

Chair Desley Simpson said, “I am really 

pleased with the decision from the 

Courts. It is a testament to the hard 

work of all our staff who have worked 

on this for a while. I am now looking 

forward to getting on with the Annual 

Plan and 10-year budget process.” 

Government prefers cooperation 

However, the Government has 

been reluctant to take harsh measures 

against Big Tech firms like Facebook 

and Google, saying instead that it could 

get better results through cooperation. 

The Christchurch Call, a non-binding 

commitment from heads of state and 

social media companies to “eliminate 

terrorist and violent extremist content 

online,” is the country’s centrepiece in 

this work. 

The Call is helping to reform the 

Global Internet Forum to Counter 

Terrorism, an industry group formed 

in 2017 to stop the misuse of online 

platforms by terrorists. 

Networks set up by the Christchurch 

Call were used to prevent the spread of 

the livestream of an October synagogue 

shooting in Germany, with a measure 

of success. 

Christchurch Call little known 

However, when polled by Internet- 

NZ, just 20% of Kiwi respondents said 

they had heard of the Christchurch Call. 

Of those who did, 80% “understood one 

or more aspects of it.” 

“I was surprised that only 20% had 

heard of the Christchurch Call. That is 

an indicator of how what is essentially 

a diplomatic and multinational initiative 

is tricky for the everyday New 

Zealander to embrace at a conceptual 

level,” Mr Cushen said. 

The most recognised aspects were 

preventing hate speech and crime 

online, monitoring of social media 

content by providers, eliminating 

racist and extremist content online and 

responding to the March 15 attack. 

Mr Cushen said that the high 

numbers of Kiwis concerned about 

these issues showed that “while the 

Christchurch Call itself is not necessarily 

of high visibility to New Zealanders, 

the real issues behind it in terms of 

social media’s responsibilities to its 

users and the unfortunate and horrible 

events in Christchurch are important to 

New Zealanders.” 

“That will be a big theme during 

2020 as the domestic policy landscape 

catches up and really, New Zealanders 

are looking for answers to those 

questions,” he said. 

Marc Daalder is a political reporter 

based in Wellington who covers 

climate change, energy, primary 

industries, technology and the farright. 

Twitter: @marcdaalder. The 

above Report has been published 

under a Special Arrangement with 

Newsroom. 

permanent participant in 2015. 

In the 22nd edition of the Malabar 

naval exercise in 2018, held for the first 

time in waters off the coast of Guam, 

involved aircraft and ships from the 

Indian Navy, the US Navy, and the Japan 

Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), 

and once again India refused Australia’s 

bid to take part in the drill. 

The Malabar Exercise 

The next round of Malabar 

Exercise is slated for late August-early 

September, where again it will be a drill 

involving India, US and Japan. 

Also, later this year in November, a 

tri-service exercise `Triumph’ involving 

the Armies, Navies and Air Forces of 

these three countries will take place. 

The Naval component of this exercise 

will take place at the Indian Naval base 

in Kakinada. 

Australia on its own has been 

participating in various exercises in the 

region, which is driven by Canberra’s 

2016 Defence White Paper which 

talks about increased engagement 

in multinational exercises across the 

Indo-Pacific. It has been cautious in 

engaging in activities in the Indo-Pacific 

that may directly confront and anger 

China. 

Hence while the Indo-Pacific construct 

is the US-led maritime initiative 

and is yet to find the right direction 

amongst its partners, it has actually 

been taken to heart by China which, in 

the meantime, has extended its naval 

footprint from Djibouti at the western 

extremity of the Indian Ocean where 

it has established a base to the eastern 

extreme of the western Pacific where 

it stakes a claim to the land and sea 

features. 

Huma Siddiqui is a Senior Correspondent 

at Financial Express, New 

Delhi. The above article, which was 

published on November 8, 2019. 

Article courtesy: Indian High Commission, 

Wellington, New Zealand.

16 


Communitylink 

Police want your hand to make NZ the safest on earth 

Mike Bush 

I 

hope that everyone has had a 

happy New Year and thanks 

to those who stayed safe and 

looked out for one another. 

It has been a busy holiday season 

for New Zealand Police, with a 

number of major events attended 

across the country. 

The New Year is expected to 

be another significant one as we 

continue to work towards our 

mission for New Zealand to be the 

safest country. 

Ongoing Tensions 

Many of you will be aware of the 

recent heightened gang tensions. 

Police are treating these 

incidents extremely seriously - the 

safety and wellbeing of the community 

is our priority. 

We will hold those who act 

unlawfully and put the public at 

risk to account. 

Following these incidents, we 

have increased the Police presence 

in the areas where we have seen 

issues, and we have stepped up our 

response. 

We have seen some incredible 

work by investigators in the 

Hawkes Bay and Bay of Plenty over 

the past few days with multiple 

arrests and weapons seized including 

firearms. 

Detrimental effect 

The criminal and anti-social 

behaviour of gangs have a detrimental 

effect on communities, and 

their actions, lifestyle and a range 

of unlawful behaviour contribute 

to people feeling unsafe. 

We are committed to targeting 

organised crime and have 

specialist teams working hard on 

this, such as the Gang Focus Unit 

introduced last year in Eastern 

District. 

We also know that there are 

many factors at the heart of the 

gang issue – like poverty, health 

and educational issues, pressure 

from others, and drugs. 

This is not a Police problem 

alone, and Police cannot be the 

only ones involved in the solution. 

This is why we are working 

alongside community groups, 

Iwi, Councils, other government 

agencies and the gangs themselves. 

We ask that people speak to 

us about anything that concerns 

them, so that we can help and 

respond. People can contact Police 

on 111 or 105, or give information 

anonymously through CrimeStoppers. 

Armed Response Teams 

The six-month trial of the Armed 

Response Teams (ARTs) in Counties 

Manukau, Waikato, and Canterbury 

is progressing well with each 

team making a real difference in 

their community. 

For example, an ART recently 

responded to an event where they 

provided lifesaving first aid to an 

injured person while the area was 

made safe for ambulance staff. 

Another team has successfully 

managed to gain entry to a 

property and talk down a female 

who was attempting to cause harm 

to herself. 

As a part of the trial’s evaluation, 

we are interested to know what 

impact ARTs are having on the 

public’s feelings of safety. 

Police will engage with members 

of the community and our partners 

to gain further insight on the perceptions 

held by the community 

on ARTs. 

People are also welcome to provide 

feedback directly to Police at 

haveyoursay@police.govt.nz(link 

sends e-mail). 

Any decisions in relation to 

the team’s future will be made 

following a full evaluation of their 

effectiveness. 

The New Police App 

Have you downloaded our new 

App? 

Tejas Nikam named Beef+Lamb Ambassador Chef 

Venkat Raman 

Tejas Nikam, Chef at Vices 

& Virtues, a Christchurch 

restaurant, has been 

named one of four Beef + 

Lamb New Zealand Ambassador 

Chefs for 2020. 

His culinary journey has seen 

him plate up dishes to a vast audience, 

according him opportunities 

to work with icons of the industry 

worldwide. 

The new appointment is a 

testament to his dedication and 

pursuit of quality by fusing 

international flavours with New 

Zealand produce. 

The ambassador role will see Tejas 

drive innovation and creativity 

while promoting excellence using 

New Zealand beef and lamb. 

Chef Tejas Nikam (Picture from chefskitchen.co.nz) 

About Vices & Virtues 

Vices & Virtues celebrates local 

and sustainably sourced produce 

as part of its menu, carefully 

curated by Tejas to reflect todays 

modern cuisine. 

The menu changes seasonally, 

with current stars of the show 

including the delectable sous 

Nikam’s creations (Picture Supplied) 

vide Angus eye fillet and the 

sustainable line caught fish, 

alongside Wairiri Buffalo Burrata 

and artisan baked breads. 

Located within the Sudima 

Laneway complex (also home to 

the 5-Star Sudima Christchurch 

City and Moss Spa), the Restaurant 

gives diners the ability to be 

virtuous with modern and healthy 

dishes or indulge their vices with a 

wickedly sweet dessert. 

Vices & Virtues is owned and 

managed by HIND Management, 

which operates the national chain 

of Sudima Hotels, and Moss Spa. 

About Tejas Nikam 

Tejas’ interest in food began 

when he was ten years old; he 

started cooking with his father. 

He learnt the art of combining 

international flavours with New 

Zealand produce from Peter 

Gordon, a top chef. He was a part 

of the opening crew of The Sugar 

Club in Auckland in 2013. 

“Working with Peter Gordon has 

shaped my career and helped me 

to get where I am today. To follow 

in his footsteps and be named as a 

Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef is 

one of the highlights of my career,” 

We have recently released a free 

Mobile App for Apple and Android 

devices to provide another way 

for you to access policing services, 

information, news and alerts. 

Through the New Zealand Police 

App, you can read Police news and 

customise the alerts you receive, 

easily use the 105 online form 

to report any non-emergency 

situation to Police, and access our 

other online services. 

The App is a part of a wider suite 

of work we are undertaking to 

ensure everyone in New Zealand, 

including our international visitors, 

can access policing services 

anywhere, any time. 

I look forward to sharing with 

you some of our other initiatives in 

the near future. 

Until next time, stay safe. 

Mike Bush is Commissioner of 

Police, New Zealand. The above 

was a part of his New Year 

message. 

Tejas said. 

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has 

been highlighting the wealth of 

talented chefs in New Zealand 

for close to quarter of a century. 

To date they have showcased the 

skills, craft and creativity of more 

than 80 Ambassador Chefs. 

High creativity 

Lisa Moloney, Food Service 

Manager at Beef + Lamb New 

Zealand, has been overseeing the 

Ambassador Chef programme for 

over a decade. 

“We were delighted with 

the high level of creativity and 

enthusiasm from chefs around the 

country who sent in applications. 

Not only were chefs putting 

together well thought out beef 

and lamb dishes with interesting 

flavour combinations, but the 

level of execution was very high. 

With such a high standard, it was a 

tough decision whittling it down to 

four chefs,” she said. 

Communities join Bhartiya Samaj to mark Indian R Day 

Venkat Raman 

Members of various 

communities in 

Auckland joined their 

counterparts of Indian 

origin to mark the 71st Republic 

Day of India on January 26, 2020. 

They danced to the patriotic and 

popular songs of India, greeted each 

other and wished India continued 

progress and prosperity at the 

celebrations organised by Bhartiya 

Samaj Charitable Trust at Mount 

Roskill War Memorial Hall. 

A flag-hoisting ceremony, prayers 

for ‘Bharat Mata’ (Mother India) 

and exchange of pleasantries were 

among the highlights of the event, 

which also brought together senior 

members of the community who 

have found comfort and solace at 

Bhartiya Samaj since its formation 

in 1995. 

Editor’s Note: The Silver Jubilee 

year of Bhartiya Samaj commenced 

with its annual Summer 

Camp held at the same venue 

from January 13 to January 17, 

2020. 

Inclusive Society 

The Republic Day Celebrations 

proved that New Zealand promotes 

an inclusive society and that 

Dancing to the tunes of India: Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa with the community 

Celebrating 71st Republic Day of India: People at the Bhartiya Samaj event 

(Pictures Supplied) 

Bhartiya Samaj fosters the goodwill 

among communities. 

Welcoming the gathering Trust 

Chairman Jeet Suchdev highlighted 

the importance of Republic Day, 

saying that January 26, 1950 

marked the true freedom of India, 

with its own Constitution, with 

complete severance from Britain. 

He also outlined the activities of 

Bhartiya Samaj and its services to 

the community. 

Aid to Australia 

The progamme included speeches 

by Ethnic Communities Minister 

Jenny Salesa, India’s Hon Consul for 

Auckland Bhav Dillon and a cultural 

programme with the participation 

of the Seniors. 

The Samaj raised $1000 as a 

donation to the Australian government, 

which is currently providing 

relief and recovery to people affected 

by the bushfires that raged 

across the country recently. 

The Programme was another 

milestone achieved by Bhartiya 

Samaj Charitable Trust in its social 

and community engagement. 

With Reporting by Ruchika 

Agarwal, Business Administration 

Manager, Bhartiya Samaj Charitable 

Trust


Communitylink 

Major traffic interruptions in Auckland CBD as Rail project advances 

Venkat Raman 

The City Rail Link (CRL) 

project is launching the next 

phase of construction and 

starting to build the Aotea 

underground station in Central 

Auckland. 

While station construction is 

underway, the Wellesley Street 

West intersection with Albert Street 

and Mayoral Drive will close to 

road traffic from Sunday, March 1, 

2020. 

Massive project 

“Construction of the Aotea 

station under the intersection 

is massive in scale. The closure 

allows us to safely and quickly 

move existing underground 

utilities before building the station 

walls and roof,” Dale Burtenshaw, 

Deputy Project Director for the 

Link Alliance building the stations 

and tunnels for City Rail Link Ltd 

Donna Grant sentenced 

to home detention 

A 

prominent Māori 

Performing Arts educator 

has been sentenced to 12 

months home detention 

for defrauding a tertiary education 

provider and a Crown agency of 

approximately $1.3 million. 

Donna Mariana Grant (61) was 

sentenced today in the Rotorua 

High Court on three charges of 

‘Dishonestly using documents’ and 

a single charge of ‘Obtaining by 

deception’. 

The charges were brought by the 

Serious Fraud Office (SFO). 

Mrs Grant used her position in 

several organisations to fraudulently 

obtain funding from Te Whare 

Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and the 

Tertiary Education Commission. 

Judge’s concessions 

In setting a starting point of four 

years imprisonment, Justice Lang 

recognised that the defendant did not 

use the money for personal benefit. 

This starting point was then significantly 

discounted due to several 

mitigating factors which included 

that Mrs Grant had demonstrated 

genuine remorse, she pleaded 

guilty and during her lifetime, 

An artist’s impression of the Aotea Station on Queen Street in 

Auckland CBD 

(Supplied by City Rail Link) 

(CRL Ltd), said. 

Once the walls and roof are built, Wellesley 

Street West will re-open to through traffic in 

early 2021 while construction of the station, 

platform and tunnels continues below ground. 

Access to Mayoral Drive at the intersection 

will remain closed until CRL is completed in 

2024. 

Donna Grant did not use the money she stole for her 

own benefit: Judge Lang (Photo NZ Herald/File) 

she had made an enormous positive 

contribution to the community. 

SFO Chief Executive Julie Read said, 

“Mrs Grant misappropriated public 

funds to benefit charitable organisations 

that she was involved in. Although 

the defendant did not use the funds to 

benefit herself financially, her offending 

was criminal and has damaged the 

reputations of several organisations.” 

Source: Serious Fraud Office 

Investigation continues after discovery of human remains 

The person may have 

died many years ago 


Police continue to carry 

out a number of enquiries 

following the discovery of 

human remains at a Mt 

Eden property last week. 

Following is a statement issued 

by Nick Baker. 

Police have confirmed that 

the deceased was removed from 

the scene at Marlborough Street, 

Mount Eden, to the mortuary 

on Monday (February 3, 2020) 

afternoon. 

Police have also removed a 

large piece of concrete from the 

scene, which ESR scientists will 

continue to examine over the 

coming days. 

The post-mortem of the 

deceased commenced this morning 

at the Auckland Hospital 

Mortuary. 

This is meticulous and 

challenging work for the Pathologist 

and their findings are not 

expected to be available to Police 

for some time. 

Auckland Council cancels Lantern Festival 

Decision follows meeting with 

the Chinese community 

Venkat Raman 

Auckland Council has 

announced that the Lantern 

Festival, scheduled to be held 

from February 13, 2020 has 

been cancelled as the Coronavirus 

continues to take its toll in mainland 

China. 

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic 

Development (ATEED), which 

conducts the annual festival, the 

largest cultural event in the country, 

said that the decision to cancel was 

reached following a meeting of the 

leaders of the community today. 

General Manager (Destination) 

Steve Armitage said that the community 

expressed growing concern over 

the evolving Coronavirus disease in 

China. 

“We fully respect the wishes of the 

Chinese community who have shared 

their culture and tradition with 

Aucklanders through the Lantern 

Festival for 21 years,” he said. 

No Coronavirus in New Zealand 

However, the decision was entirely 

due to the sentiments of the Chinese 

community. The Health Ministry has 

clarified that there are no reported 

cases of the virus in New Zealand. 

The Lantern Festival was first 

held in 2000, the year in which 

the Asia New Zealand Foundation 

(then called Asia 2000 Foundation) 

was established by the then Prime 

The Lantern Festival in Auckland (Image from ATEED website) 

The Lantern Festival is the most popular 

cultural event in New Zealand 

Minister Helen Clark to celebrate New 

Zealand’s growing diversity through 

cultural programmes and major 

festivals of the resident communities. 

Three years later (in 2003), the first 

Diwali Festival was held with the 

support of Indian Newslink and Auckland 

Indian Association at Mahatma 

Gandhi Centre in Eden Terrace. 

Mr Armitage said that the planning 

for Lantern Festival 2020 began 

last year with many stakeholders 

including sponsors. 

“We would like to thank our 

commercial partners, performers, 

volunteers, stallholders, local 

businesses and festival staff for their 

understanding,” he said. 

Local access to Albert Street 

will be maintained. 

Mr Burtenshaw said that 

Link Alliance, CRL Ltd, 

Auckland Council and Auckland 

Transport acknowledge the 

impact that station construction 

and the intersection closure 

will have on the immediate 

community and road users and 

are collaborating on plans to 

keep the City Centre moving. 

“Impact is unavoidable, but 

we are determined to minimise 

this as much as practicably 

possible while we build the 

station. Our priority is to keep 

people informed,” he said. 

New routes for buses 

The intersection is a major 

arterial for buses, and Auckland 

Transport (AT) has planned 

new routes for 30 bus services 

in the City Centre until Wellesley 

Street West reopens in 2021. 

Respecting community 

sentiments 

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff 

described the Lantern Festival as 

a popular and much-anticipated 

fixture on Auckland’s events 

calendar. 

“It is sad that the festival will 

not be going ahead this year, but it 

is important to respect the wishes 

of Auckland’s Chinese community, 

many of whom do not feel it 

is appropriate to celebrate the 

Festival given the ongoing Coronavirus 

outbreak in China and its 

toll on life there. I look forward 

to the Lantern Festival returning 

to Auckland next year and its 

celebration of Chinese culture and 

Auckland’s multiculturism,” he 

said. 

About the Lantern Festival 

The Lantern Festival is a 

Chinese Festival celebrated on the 

fifteenth day of the first month in 

the lunisolar Chinese calendar. 

Usually observed in February or 

early March on the Gregorian calendar, 

it marks the final day of the traditional 

Chinese New Year celebrations. 

Pete Moth, Manager Network 

Development for AT, said that 

the re-routed buses will be 

supported by new bus priority 

measures. 

“In the morning peak, 450 

buses carry 30,000 people into 

the City Centre. The new 24/7 

bus lanes being installed will 

ensure those buses are given 

priority,” he said. 

Buses will divert either along 

Mayoral Drive or Victoria 

Street, depending on the route, 

with the changes happening on 

Sunday, February 23, 2020. 

Services affected come from 

the North Shore, West Auckland 

and Central Auckland. 

“If you travel into the City 

Centre by bus, we recommend 

people check our website or 

their bus stops to see if their 

route is affected,” he said. 

Identity unknown 

The identity of the deceased 

remains unknown. 

There are considerable 

challenges for Police who remain 

open minded around their 

identity. 

It is possible that the deceased 

died some years ago. Given the 

circumstances, formal identification 

will require forensic 

evidence. 

A DNA profile from the 

deceased may take a week or 

two, but identification can only 

occur if Police and ESR have a 

comparative DNA sample that 

can be compared. 

Therefore, it is likely be several 

weeks before the identity of the 

deceased is known. 

Until such time, Police will not 

As early as the Western Han Dynasty 

(206 BCE-CE 25), it had become a 

Festival with great significance. During 

the Lantern Festival, children go out at 

night carrying paper lanterns and solve 

riddles on the lanterns 

In ancient times, the lanterns were 

fairly simple, and only the Emperor 

and noblemen had large ornate ones 

In modern times, lanterns have 

been embellished with many complex 

designs. 

For example, lanterns are now often 

made in the shape of animals. 

The lanterns can symbolise the 

people letting go of their past selves 

Woman gets home detention for visa fraud 


A 

woman who provided false 

information to get a visa for 

her child has been sentenced 

to eight months home 

detention. 

Rajinah Sellvagumaran pleaded 

guilty last May over two charges of 

knowingly providing false or misleading 

information in regard to two visa 

applications she made for her child. 

The 31-year-old woman was 

sentenced in the Napier District Court 

on January 30, 2020. 

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) 

General Manager (Verification and 

Compliance) Stephen Vaughan 

welcomed the sentence, saying it 

demonstrates the Department’s commitment 

to be a trusted regulator and 

steward of the immigration system. 

17 

Business as usual 

For motorists, traffic diversions 

will also be in place once 

the intersection closes. 

Mayoral Drive and Victoria 

Street will be used as alternatives. 

Access to carparks in the 

surrounding areas will be 

maintained. 

People will still be able to 

access businesses, shops and 

homes in the area on foot, and 

to be able to walk around the 

intersection. 

Temporary accessible 

footpaths will be built to keep 

the construction area safe and 

clear. 

People on bikes will need to 

walk their wheels along the temporary 

footpaths or can use the 

alternative routes along Victoria 

Street and Mayoral Drive. 

be speculating on the deceased’s 

identity. 

Challenging and complex 

The focus of the investigation 

continues to be on establishing the 

identity of the deceased, which 

includes identifying and speaking 

with former occupants and 

residents. 

Police remain present at the 

address with the scene examination 

continuing. 

“This is a challenging and 

complex investigation which is 

expected to take some time before 

we are in a position to establish 

the circumstances surrounding the 

death,” Acting Detective Inspector 

Glenn Baldwin, Auckland City CIB 

said. 

A karakia at the site is being 

arranged with local Kaumatua and 

we are grateful for their assistance. 

We have had a really positive 

response from people contacting us 

with information on 105, which has 

been really helpful. 

That said, we continue to seek assistance 

from the public to identify 

and locate former occupants, owners 

and residents at the premises, 

which we understand was possibly 

a former boarding house. 

and getting new ones, which they will 

let go of the next year. 

The lanterns are almost always red 

to symbolise good fortune. 

The Festival acts as an Uposatha day 

on the Chinese calendar. 

It should not be confused with 

the Mid-Autumn Festival; which is 

sometimes also known as the Lantern 

Festival in Singapore and Malaysia 

The Lantern Festival has also 

become popular in Western countries, 

especially in cities with a large Chinese 

community. 

After Christmas, the Lantern Festival 

is most popular event held in Auckland. 

Immigration integrity 

“The integrity of the immigration 

system relies on individuals 

providing genuine and accurate 

information. This sentence shows 

deliberately providing fraudulent or 

misleading information to INZ will 

not be tolerated,” he said. 

Mr Vaughan said that the sentence 

also highlights the importance 

of being honest when making visa 

applications, even when personal 

and family circumstances may be 

difficult. 

“Honesty is always the best policy. 

Not being up-front and truthful has 

the potential to harm a person’s 

current and future visa applications, 

and puts their ability to stay in New 

Zealand in jeopardy,” he said.

18 


Communitylink 

Young Mridangist impresses music aficionados in Chennai 

Venkat Raman 

Young Mridangam artiste Avinash 

Jeyashankar proved that 

he has gained mastery over 

the instrument at five concerts 

held in quick succession in Chennai, 

India during the recently completed 

annual musical season. 

Appearing with well-established 

and emerging vocalists and other 

accompanying artistes, he displayed 

poise, energy and skilful interpretation 

of Classical music and support to 

the main performers, proving that in 

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Avinash Jeyashankar at Hamsadhwani (NRI 

Festival) in Chennai on December 20, 2019 

(Facebook) 

Avinash Jeyashankar at his Arangetram on 

March 24, 2018 (Picture Supplied) 

Carnatic Music, teamwork is essential 

to bring out the nuances of various 

Ragas. 

Thirty-five years ago, music 

maestro Ilayaraja presented ‘Mahaganapathim,’ 

a Muthusamy Dikshitar 

composition without the Mridangam. 

It was praised for its novelty but connoisseurs 

of Carnatic Music felt that 

the song (rendered for the camera 

by actor Shivakumar for ‘Sindhu 

Bhairavi’) lacked its full impact. 

Two years ago, in a review of 

Avinash’s performance (Indian 

Newslink, March 15, 2018), we had 

said that he has a natural flair for 

rhythmic art forms and mental 

agility. 

“This has enabled him to master 

the most complex patterns in rhythmic 

art. Through dedicated practice 

and perseverance, he has emerged as 

a performer with musical sensitivity 

and expansive improvisational capabilities. 

At his performances, he will 

be in concert with well-established 

Carnatic musicians,” we had said. 

Chennai Concerts 

He proved yet again his proficiency 

in Mridangam in Chennai. 

He performed on the Mridangam 

at the following concerts in Chennai: 

December 18, 2019: Vocalist Annjana 

Thirumalai, Violin T Kishore at a 

Carnatic Musical Concert organised 

by Madhuraahwani. At Arkay 

Convention Centre, Mylapore 

December 20, 2019: Hamsadhwani 

(NRI Festival) Concert Sudarshan Mohan 

(Vocal), Gyandev Pappu (Violin) 

at Youth Hostel, Indiranagar 

December 31, 2019: Concert at 

Kothandaramar Temple, Washermanpet 

with Thirubuvanam Athmanadhan 

(Vocal), and Amaravathi 

Sundaram Krishnan (Morsing) 

December 31, 2019: Music performance 

organised by Kartik Fine 

Arts Musical Concert at Bharatiya 

Vidya Bhavan, with Shravan Kumar 

Ramani (Vocal), Vignesh Thygarajan 

(Violin) at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 

Mylapore 

January 1, 2020: Carnatic Music 

Concert organised by Parampara at 

Srinivasa Sastri Hall, Mylapore with 

Mathangi Kailasanath (Vocal), M 

Shrikanth (Violin) 

About Avinash Jeyashankar 

Born in New Zealand to Jay and 

Shakthi Jeyashankar, Avinash 

began his musical journey under the 

guidance of Auckland-based Suresh 

Ramachandra. 

Mridangam is a powerful but 

challenging percussion instrument, 

demanding hours of training with 

dedication and discipline. It has long 

been the prerogative of South Indians, 

especially Tamil-speaking people. 

Over the years, maestros from 

India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore 

and other countries where Tamil is 

widely spoken, have been imparting 

knowledge of the instrument and 

its playing to thousands of young 

aspirants. 

Avinash presented his Mridangam 

Arangetram on March 24, 2018 and 

received the title of ‘Layaanjali,’ from 

the Temple of Fine Arts, New Zealand. 

The New Zealand Carnatic 

Music Society honoured him with 

the ‘Vadhya Vishard’ Award for completing 

the requirements of Carnatic 

Instrumental Music. 

Since then, he has been regularly 

accompanying artistes in New 

Zealand and elsewhere at their vocal 

concerts in New Zealand, Australia 

and India. 

Avinash’s passion for music has led 

him on many adventures, discovering 

the nuances and beauties that the 

different forms of music offer. 

Maintaining his cultural background, 

Avinash has learnt Carnatic 

Vocal, Violin Mridangam, as well as 

the Tabla. 

He is currently pursuing his 

third year undergraduate study 

(Health Sciences) at the University of 

Auckland. 

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19 

Congratulating 

Years Of 

From Radio to Print to Online; 

Events to awards and more. 

Tarana works with Indian Newslink across all boards and 

mediums to bring the Indian diaspora accurate information and 

up to date, quality content. We both share the same vision to 

inform, educate and entertain you through media with hopes 

you can stay connected to your roots whilst in New Zealand. 

Tarana congratulates Indian Newslink on maintaining a 

brilliantly solid news foundation for everyone in media to look 

up to. We commend them on their authenticity, creativity, and 

pure passion for Journalism. We appreciate all the work they do 

in the community and would like to specially mention the 

annual Business Awards which have been a successful showcase 

year on year of the entrepreneurial work in our community and 

highlighting the great Indian businesses that run New Zealand 

at the forefront. In these past 20 years Indian Newslink have 

achieved what no other Indian print and online newspaper 

could. With too many accolades to mention, the newspaper - at 

it's heart - is a true representation of all things Indian and what 

matters most to Indians living in Aotearoa. 

CONTRIBUTING 

TO A STRONGER 

MORE DIVERSE 

UNDERSTANDING 

WELL-INFORMED 

UNITED 

PASSIONATEN 

Z 

CULTURED

20 


Sportslink 

Blackcaps win the ODI series, eyes set on two Tests 

Some misses should 

worry the Indian team 

Ravi Nyayapati 

New Zealand bounced back 

against India in spectacular 

fashion, making their T20I 

(5-0) drubbing by the visiting 

Indian team appear like distant 

memory. 

The boys in blue displayed a 

radically different form to that shown 

during their dominating series sweep 

in the shortest form of the game. 

Remarkable turnaround 

Within a space of three days, there 

was a remarkable turn of events. 

On February 2, 2020, knives were 

out against the Blackcaps as they 

snatched defeat from the jaws of 

victory in three successive matches, 

and in the process gifted India a 

record-setting T20I clean sweep. This 

came at the back of a disastrous tour 

of Australia, where New Zealand’s 

Test weakness was exposed. 

To add to the drama, Coach Gary 

Stead went on leave, apparently 

scheduled six months prior, leaving 

many perplexed. 

Why a coach would plan leave in 

the middle of a major international 

series, that too one involving one 

of the powerhouses of the game, 

remains a total mystery. 

Captain Kane Williamson was 

out too, sidelined with a shoulder 

injury, and pacer Trent Boult was still 

absent, leaving ageing Tim Southee 

to regain form very quickly after his 

Colin de Grandhomme hit out at Mt Maunganui (Photosport/RNZ) 

T20 super over misfortunes. Things 

couldn’t have looked gloomier for 

New Zealand Cricket. 

However, February 5, 2020 was a 

day when it all turned out against all 

predictions. 

Shreyas and KL Rahul stand out 

After being put into bat, India 

racked up a mammoth 347/4 in the 

first of the three-match One Day 

International (ODI) series, thanks to 

a maiden ton from in-form player 

Shreyas Iyer and a masterful 88 not 

out from KL Rahul. 

This was a great total, given that 

Openers Mayank Agarwal and 

batting sensation Prithvi Shaw both 

fell cheaply after finally making their 

ODI debuts. 

Ross Taylor a delightful ton 

Kiwi batting legend Ross Taylor 

brilliantly guided the chase with an 

unbeaten 109. Stand-in captain Tom 

Latham and opener Henry Nicholls 

also contributed well with the bat. 

With eleven deliveries to spare, the 

Blackcaps made the chase look easy. 

Sloppy fielding and poor bowling 

hounded the Indians. 

Jasprit Bumrah, who has been on 

Henry Nicholls scored 80 against India in the third ODI at Bay 

Oval in Mt Maunganui (PhotoSport/RNZ) 

top form for a couple of years, failed 

to find a wicket and went for 53 off 

his ten overs. 

Needing a win to save the series, 

India chose to field at Eden Park. 

Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal 

replaced Kuldeep Yadav while experienced 

Mohammed Shami gave way to 

young speedster Navdeep Saini. 

Openers Martin Guptill and 

Nicholls raced away before Nicholls 

was trapped in front with the score 

nearing 100. From 93/1, the Blackcaps 

slid to 197/8 thanks to brilliant 

bowling by Chahal and Jadeja. A 

remarkable ninth-wicket partnership 

of 76 ensured New Zealand finished 

on 273. 

Taylor was the hero again with an 

unbeaten 73, splendidly supported 

by debutant bowler Kyle Jamieson. 

Bumrah went wicketless for a second 

match in a row conceding 64 off his 

ten, the most expensive in the game. 

Miserable start for India 

The gettable target for India started 

miserably as Agarwal and Shaw both 

fell cheaply, yet again. Before long 

Captain Virat Kohli departed as did 

Rahul. 

Iyer showed resilience and talked 

with his bat once more partnering 

with the reliable Ravinder Jadeja. 

Kedar Jadhav looked out of place 

wasting 27 deliveries for a paltry nine 

runs. 

Brave Saini then joined Jadeja 

at the crease to give faint hopes of 

victory. 

In the end, India folded for 251 in 

total, 22 runs short of the target. 

New Zealand bowlers found the 

right line and length ensuring five 

Indian batsmen were clean bowled, 

including Kohli, Shaw and Rahul. 

India had lost the series. 

The final ODI shifted to the Bay 

Oval in Mount Maunganui, where 

India were under the pump early, 

losing Agarwal and Kohli for single 

figures. 

Iyer continued his top form with 

62 while Rahul hit a brilliant ton, 

conjuring hundred run partnerships 

with Iyer as well as Manish Pandey, 

who replaced Jadhav. India pushed 

their total to 296/7. 

Indian defence fails 

India’s defence failed very early, 

with the bowlers struggling to trouble 

KL Rahul scored his fourth ODI century (Photosport/RNZ) 

Guptill and Nicholls who raced to 100 

by the 16th over. 

Chahal and Jadeja once again 

applied brakes with tight bowling and 

occasional wickets. 

Nonetheless, from 220/5 Latham 

and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme 

took the team home, to close 

the chapter on a remarkable comeback 

from a beleaguered position. 

The unfortunate loss of Rohit Sharma 

may very well have contributed 

to India’s woes. 

Of concern is the fact that Bumrah 

finished the series wicketless, his 

first and a feat he would not want to 

remember. 

The focus now shifts to the two 

match Test series. 

India will miss Sharma and Shikhar 

Dhawan, also out due to injury. 

Talented Shubman Gill and Shaw 

are in the squad as are the usual 

regulars. 

Rahul is an unfortunate to miss out, 

especially after being in scintillating 

form in the short form of the game. 

Ravi Nyayapati is our Sports Correspondent. 

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