Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan has claimed the interests of the ethnic community will be threatened if an ACT-National coalition wins this year’s general election. The minister was addressing a post-Budget forum for ethnic communities in Auckland last week.
“All this good work done by my ministry, and the overall interest of the ethnic communities will be under threat if there’s a change in government in October. “The ACT Party has already declared it wants to abolish the Ministry of Ethnic Communities. With the National Party not taking any stand on it yet, in all probability, their coalition will abolish the ministry if they come to power.”
The minister was referring to ACT’s alternative budget, which outlined the party’s intentions to abolish demographic ministries – including the Ministry of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities. “Any additional influence they do have over government policy is likely to be in the damaging direction of undermining the unity of New Zealand as a modern multicultural society,”
Asked to comment on the minister’s remarks, ACT Party leader David Seymour claimed the ministry had not delivered on its promises. “In my experience, New Zealanders want safe streets, affordable living and to be treated with dignity – not second-class citizens under a twisted Treaty. “Ethnic communities would be served better under ACT’s proposal”.
Credit: radionz.co.nz
