The Indian Weekender 15 July 2022

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before. - Bonnie Blair - Speed Skater Editorial Govt’s action on gangs and rising crime: Public debate should also reflect victim’s perspectives Unfortunately, it seems to have become unfashionable in New Zealand to reflect upon and respect the victim’s perspectives in the public debate around rising crime and gang violence and the accompanying government (in)action. Instead, the debate largely remains rooted in the “left” versus “right” view or the “politics” versus “experts’ views” of law and order. The recent most instance is the public debate after the government’s latest crackdown on gangs and crime in the form of a new intimidation offence and slightly stronger search and seize powers. The ensuing public debate has been once again, and almost boringly, on the expected lines. The opposition - National and the ACT Party – were quick to dismiss the new announcement as too little and too late, while the experts were equally quick to register their view that the government was forced to respond “politically” with a set of measures that will have little impact on the emboldened gangs and the rising spate of crime. The Green Party viewed it as a possible encroachment of rights and protections under the ‘Bill of Rights,”, especially of Maori and Pacifica communities. Sadly, there was no representation and advocacy for the view of the victims of rising retail crime, which largely comprises ethnic migrant minority communities, who by default finds themselves at the forefront of increasing retail crime. While the news about gang-related violence attracts maximum attention from the mainstream media, political leadership and crime experts, the day-to-day pain and fear of small dairy store operators largely go unnoticed or at least do not attract similar political attention. It is conveniently assumed that the victims’ views on the deteriorating law and order situation - calling for strong-handed response largely juxtapose with the views of political “right” – and hence socially regressive and not worthy of representation at the higher echelons of power. It is important to clear, though, that those at the forefront of experiencing an unprecedented spike in ram raids at their workplaces do not necessarily call for “strong police and law enforcement action.” Their actual and more inherent desire is for an immediate sense of security and annihilation of fear that automatically spikes up after every instance of an audacious act of crime, ram raid and armed assault on them or in their neighbourhood. If this could be delivered immediately, in real-time, through social intervention measures aiming to fix the inter-generational anomalies and inequalities, that would be great and welcome with open hearts. While the government continues to self-pat their backs for not being the government of “rhetoric” as their political opposition and instead a government that listens and follows the advice of “experts,” they seem to accentuate the contempt of victims who first-hand experience the rising crime graph. Maybe it is time for law-and-order experts to commission some studies on how to ameliorate the pervading sense of fear within the dairy-store owners, retail operators and their staff and families, which fails to receive any credible political ownership, particularly from those who pride themselves as socially progressive. It is also prudent to ask this government which always makes it a point that it is not a government of rhetoric but a government committed to targeting the long pending inter-generational issues that precipitate gang-related violence - about what steps it has taken so far and how significant has been the impact in the last two terms in the government. So far, the rising crime graph, as evident in the form of audacious ram raids by unbridled young offenders, clearly demonstrates that there has been little impact of the so-called social intervention measures – something hard to digest for the government. It is in the absence of a reduction in the crime graph and an increasing level of fear and uncertainty around safety in dairy stores and retail shops and any accompanying confidence and reassuring measures by the police that the call for some strong actions automatically spikes up. And to always underplay those genuine real, word voices under the guise of being socially regressive and just for chest-thumping and the politics of law and order is not progressive at all. More needs to be done, and always. IN FOCUS : Picture of the week This week in New Zealand’s history 15 July 1915 First Gallipoli wounded arrive home Indian Weekender : Volume 14 Issue17 PM Narendra Modi unveiled the 6.5m long bronze National Emblem cast on the roof of the New Parliament Building. He also interacted with the workers involved in the work of the new Parliament. The 6.5-meter installation, weighing 16,000 kg, including the supporting structure (9,500 kg – national emblem, and 6500 kg – supporting structure), entirely handcrafted by Indian artisans, is made of highpurity bronze. The first large group of Gallipoli wounded to return to New Zealand arrived in Wellington on the troopship Willochra as part of a draft of around 300 men. 16 July 1965 New Zealand artillery opens fire in Vietnam Gunners of 161 Field Battery fired New Zealand’s first shots of the Vietnam War from their base at Bien Hoa, near Saigon. 18 July 1855 New Zealand's first postage stamps go on sale These adhesive, non-perforated stamps for prepaid postage were the famous ‘Chalon Head’ design, showing Queen Victoria in her coronation robes. New Zealand issued its first postage stamps 15 years after they were introduced in Britain. The three stamps in the ‘Full-face Queen’ set – one penny (1d), twopence (2d) and one shilling (1s) – were printed in Britain. Other values were added later. 19 July 1982 Privy Council rules on Samoan citizenship When the Privy Council granted New Zealand citizenship to Western Samoans born since 1924, the government did not accept this decision. It rushed through an act granting New Zealand citizenship only to Western Samoans who were living in New Zealand on 14 September 1982 or subsequently obtained permanent residence. 20 July 1892 Steam locomotive sets world speed record T he Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR) Company’s locomotive No. 10 established a world speed record for the narrow 3 foot 6 inch (1067 mm) gauge, averaging 68 km per hour on a two-hour run and hitting a top speed of 103 kph. Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited Editor: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz Multimedia Specialist: Karan Bhasin | 022 0772 156 | karan@indianweekender.co.nz Accounts and Admin.: 09-2173623 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz Auckland Reporter: Navdeep Kaur Marwah: | 021 952 246 | navdeep@indianweekender.co.nz Waikato Reporter: Sandeep Singh | 021 952 245 | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz Wellington Reporter: Venu Menon | 021 538 356 | venu@indianweekender.co.nz Christchurch Reporter: Mahesh Kumar | 021 952 218 | mahesh@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 Copyright ® 2022. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved. Send your suggestions and feedback to editor@indianweekender.co.nz
Read online www.iwk.co.nz Friday, July 15, 2022 FIJI 13 NZ announces $10m funding New Zealand has today announced a contribution of $10 million to the conservation of Pacific crop seeds impacted by climate change. This is the first investment from the recently boosted $1.3 billion climate aid fund, NZ commits $12.6m to address gender inequality Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced New Zealand will provide a $12.6 million towards the the Fiji Gender Action Programme — Marama Ni Viti for the next five years. This funding will support the implementation of the Fiji Gender Action Programme to advance women’s empowerment and social protection. She says the recent Fiji Gender Assessment showed big gaps in pay between men and women amongst a range of other disparities – this funding will go towards programmes that help address the issues and inequalities the report highlighted. This funding will be directed to the Ministry for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation as well as Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Women’s Fund Fiji, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and UN Women. This is an opportunity to also a contribution of $10 million to the conservation of Pacific crop seeds impacted by climate change. $10 million will be allocated to the Fiji-based Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT), which since 1998 has been conserving the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Arden is adamant that the programme will help reduce the prevalence of violence against women and children and create a greater societal awareness of women’s rights and gender equality. region’s collections of 17 crops including yam, coconut and 70 percent of the world’s taro varieties. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says climate change is a major threat to Pacific agriculture, putting our regions food security at risk. deliver increased support to a wide range of services such as those that responded to and prevent violence against women to programmes that support exchange and mentoring between female New Zealand and Fijian Members of Parliament. The funding will also expand work undertaken by the Fiji Ministry for Women, Children She adds this investment will increase the Pacific’s resilience by ensuring our regions seeds and plant materials are preserved and protected for future generations. The NZ PM adding that climate change and extreme weather are impacting crop yields and Poverty Alleviation to ensure Fiji’s public service agencies have policies that are responsive to and empower women. This funding is not limited to biological females but will be integral in providing core services to women in all their diversity, particularly in reaching people with disabilities, LGBTIQA+/ SOGIESC communities and women in rural, remote and maritime areas. The NZ Prime Minister adds that The ultimate goal of the programme is to support Fijian women and girls, in all their diversity and to increase the voice of women in leadership and decision-making. Arden is adamant that the programme will help reduce the prevalence of violence against women and children and create a greater societal awareness of women’s rights and gender equality. and reducing supply which exacerbates food insecurity and increases food prices. Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw said the investment will help communities protect important crops for generations to come. Australia is a trusted global climate action partner Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese says his country will once again be a trusted global partner on climate action. Albanese, who will arrive into the country later today to attend the 51st Pacific Islands Forum in Suva says he is ambitious about what he and the regional leaders can achieve together. He says he looks forward to discussing a proposal to co-host a United Nations climate summit with his Pacific partners, to elevate and prioritize issues which impact the region the most. With Albanese at the helm for over a month, the Australian Government has moved quickly to step up its climate action. Australia’s carbon emissions 2030 reduction target, under the Paris Agreement, was increased from 26 to 28 percent.
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The Indian Weekender 15 July 2022

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