The Indian Weekender, Friday 6 November 2020

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Editorial Mainstream media’s obsession with Raveen Jaduram’s salary: Is “unconscious bias” against ethnic-migrants into play? The mainstream media’s relentless obsession with Raveen Jaduram’s salary, even after being cornered to resign from his leadership position at Watercare New Zealand’s largest water utility is an ignominious reminder of the “unconscious bias” that ethnic migrants have to face in this country. For uninitiated, Raveen Jaduram – an Indian-New Zealander – was Chief Executive Officer of Watercare for the last six years and was facing an enhanced media-scrutiny after Auckland plunged into a historic drought and water-shortage few months ago. The initial public scrutiny around Watercare’s overall preparedness to deal with Auckland’s water shortage soon deviated into a full-blown frontal attack on its CEO’s unusually high salary, forcing him to resign from the position last week. Such was the intensity of the personal attack on Jaduram’s salary that one of the latest reporting by NZ Herald this week emphasised that the incumbent had received a salary hike in recent months even after intense media-scrutiny in recent months. To put it subtly, this was much in poor-taste and more an expression of “war of attrition” between what can be broadly defined as the privileges explicitly reserved only for white-men that were so undeservingly enjoyed by a seemingly less deserving person of colour. Indeed, the level of reporting in the story was so erroneous that except for the fact that outgoing Watercare CEO’s salary was further increased to $800,000 mark, there was not a single value addition to the facts that were already in the public domain and had been already intensely reported and debated in mainstream media. In fact, more than anything else, it reflects an expression of “disbelief” that the outgoing CEO’s salary increased despite relentless personal scrutiny of his salary – something which he did not choose himself. It’s not clear that that “disbelief” was a reflection of the individual journalist or can be attributed as the worldview of the entire newsroom. However, it is indeed a sorry state of affair that needs to be rebutted resolutely for the simple reason that if this can happen so blatantly to an ethnic migrant worker who has reached to the higher echelons of decision making in a big public organisation - then the fate of the ordinary low to medium level ethnic migrant workers who face unconscious bias to casual racism on a daily basis in this country could only be imagined. To be fair, every credible media outlet has a responsibility of holding those in power to account, including Watercare – the largest Council Controlled Organisation and its - CEO without any fear or favour. In that regard, New Zealand’s mainstream media has done well in reporting and offering public scrutiny in every aspect of this important issue around water-shortage facing in our biggest city. However, the rules of engagement that it follows when reporting and scrutinising on issues that involve white European-New Zealanders and everyone else, particularly ethnic-migrant-New Zealanders, are starkly different. The mainstream media’s reporting for ethnic-migrant communities continue to remain sensational, contemptuous, voyeuristic, disrespectful and in some cases erroneous. Not long ago, mainstream media sought sensationalism in reporting of the number of imported Covid cases arriving on flights from India, while choosing to remain gloriously silent in the number of Covid cases arriving from traditionally white countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or Canada. The Indian Weekender had then also called out the mainstream-media’s unconscious bias against New Zealand’s ethnic migrant communities by reporting actual facts that India as a source of imported Covid cases remained distant fifth – far below the US, UK, Dubai and Australia – a fact erroneously not reported in their repeated stories on the issue. Similarly, in this instance, the level of personal attack on an Indian-origin high paid head honcho’s salary, which in no way advanced or enriched the public debate around Watercare’s ability to pre-empt or deal with Auckland’s water shortage crisis is not only unprecedented but purely outrageous. Make no mistake; the Indian Weekender fully condones the public scrutiny of individuals who are in public roles and have a duty and responsibility to uphold vis a vis their respective positions. However, what it absolutely rejects is the voyeuristic pleasure that some mainstream media reporting indulges in while reporting on issues related to the ethnic migrant community. It has been absolutely clear in mainstream media’s own reporting that Jaduram has been at the helm of affairs for the last six years and has inherited a fully -functional system with an inherent capacity to decide on the salaries of its staff, including the CEO. It is also clear that everyone in Auckland Council, including Mayor Phil Goff has been found napping on the important issue of regulating the salaries of CEOs of Council Controlled Organisations. It is a paradox that while there has not been enough outrage or public scrutiny on why Auckland Council and its incumbent had failed to act proactively much before the issue had flared up in media, the interest continues to remain on the incumbent receiving that high salary. It is unavoidable to see a clear case of unconscious bias, where the traditional privileged white man’s worldview refuses to come to terms with a person of colour - an ethnic migrant New Zealander – who in their world view seems to be undeserving of getting that high salary – is found to be enjoying that privileged position. The media scrutiny in this instance could have easily been equally bold and ferocious as it has been so far now, albeit minus the unwarranted focus on the salary of the person in the position, which clearly does not serve any purpose except for exposing the “unconscious bias” that ethnic migrant minorities have to face on a daily basis in this country. Thought of the week “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” —Mary Kay Ash 6 November – 12 November 2020 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu On-and-off rain and drizzle 16° 9° Partly sunny 15° 8° 17° 9° Indian Weekender : Volume 12 Issue 34 Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Technical Officer: Rohan deSouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz Sr Graphics and Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz Accounts and Admin.: 09-2173623 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz Media Sales Manager.: Leena Pal: 021 952 216 | leena@indianweekender.co.nz Sales and Distribution: 021 952218 | sales@indianweekender.co.nz Editor at Large: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent the views of the team at the Indian Weekender Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland. Printed at Horton Media, Auckland Parlty sunny Clouds and sun 14° 10° A touch o dafr This week in New Zealand’s history 15° 10° Copyright 2020. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved. Sunshine and pactcy clouds 6 November 1908 Last spike completes North Island main trunk railway 16° 9° A few morning showers Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward ceremonially opened the North Island main trunk railway line by driving home a final polished silver spike at Manganuioteao, between National Park and Ohākune. 7 November 1848 The Acheron arrives to survey New Zealand waters The paddle-wheel sloop was one of the first steamships in New Zealand waters. Under the command of Captain John Lort Stokes, Acheron surveyed the coastlines of Cook Strait and the South Island until March 1851. Its 170-horsepower engine was especially valuable on dangerous shores such as the West Coast of the South Island. 7 November 1912 Public Service Act passed into law The Public Service Act was passed into law, creating a framework for New Zealand’s bureaucracy that was to endure until 1988. The Act was the brainchild of lawyer Alexander Herdman, a senior minister in the new Reform Party government. 7 November 1970 Last unclimbed face of Aoraki/Mt Cook conquered Long-haired Christchurch mountaineers John Glasgow and Peter Gough became the first people known to have scaled the 2000-m Caroline Face of Aoraki/Mt Cook. They declared it a ‘triumph for the hippies’. 8 November 1936 New Zealanders march into besieged Madrid New Zealanders Griff Maclaurin and Steve Yates were part of the International Column of anti-fascist volunteers which marched into Madrid to bolster the city’s defences against the assault of General Francisco Franco’s rebel armies. 8 November 1939 New Zealand Centennial Exhibition opens More than 2.6 million people visited the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition, which ran for six months at Rongotai, Wellington. It was the centrepiece of the centennial of the signing of the Treaty of the Waitangi. 15° 9°
SOLD PRIOR 10 TO LAUNCH The headquarTersTM MODERN WORKSPACES - SYLVIA PARK LAUNCHING THIS WEEKEND PRICED FROM $585,000 ARTIST IMPRESSION SECURE ON $1,000 DOWN AND NOTHING ELSE TO PAY UNTIL SETTLEMENT* ONe OF NeW ZeaLaNd’s PreMIer BusINess ParK’s - PaCIFIC rIse The headquarTers Sylvia Park PACIFIC RISE YOUR VERY OWN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Freehold Strata Title Warehouses, Workspaces, Offices and Light Manufacturing ARTIST IMPRESSION ALASTAIR BROWN 021 333 290 09 307 6340 HAYLEY SOK 021 132 8985 09 307 6340 ONSITE DISPLAY SUITE OPEN DAILY 11AM - 2PM | 3 Pacific Rise, Mt Wellington WWW.THEHEADQUARTERS.NZ *Either by paying $1,000 initial deposit, and the balance of deposit secured by Deposit Guarantee (using existing equity in your own house property - New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident, (conditions apply) or balance of the Deposit in Cash. Please refer to Deposit Guarantee FAQ’S Marketing Brochure for more information. All illustrations and artist’s impressions are for illustrative purposes only and landscaping, fittings and furnishings are excluded from Purchase Price Units will vary in size. Every Precaution has been taken to establish the accuracy of the material herein at the time of printing, however, no responsibility will be taken for any errors/omissions. Prospective purchasers should not confine themselves solely to the content of this material and acknowledge that they have received recommendation and had reasonable opportunity to seek independent legal, financial, accounting, immigration, technical and other advice. The Developer reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of units according to market demand and therefore sizes and layouts of units may vary throughout the development. Changes may be made during development and all dimensions, finishes, fittings and specifications are subject to change without notice. Capital Values Rise and fall according to Market Conditions. It is recommended that Property Investment is at 10-12 year investment horizon. Prices quoted for Commercial Property prices are plus GST (if any).
Page 1: 06 NOVEMBER2020 • VOL 12 ISSUE 34
Page 4 and 5: 4 NEW ZEALAND Friday, November 6, 2
Page 6: 6 NEW ZEALAND Friday, November 6, 2
Page 9 and 10: 倀刀䔀䴀䤀唀䴀匀䄀
Page 11 and 12: The Indian Weekender Friday, Novemb
Page 13 and 14: The Indian Weekender Friday, Novemb
Page 15: The Indian Weekender Friday, Novemb
Page 19 and 20: Wesley Community Centre Activity Gu
Page 22 and 23: 22 FEATURES Friday, November 6, 202

The Indian Weekender, Friday 6 November 2020

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?