Kia ora e te whānau,
With so much political campaigning underway, it has been a busy time. Belong Aotearoa isn’t a party-political organisation, but belonging and social cohesion are highly political issues, so we want to know what the parties will do about them.
Labour Party gathering of ethnic, faith, and community leaders in Papatoetoe.
Last Saturday I joined a Labour Party gathering of ethnic, faith, and community leaders in Papatoetoe (we’d happily attend similar events held by other parties - waiting for the invites), then went to Shakti’s cross-party panel on immigration policy. You can watch it here, with the debate starting about 20 minutes in.
Shakti’s immigration debate with political candidates from (L-R) ACT, Greens, Labour, NZ First, National.
The political panel was asked whether they would condemn racist rhetoric, referencing recent comments by NZ First’s Winston Peters and Shane Jones. Casey Costello (NZ First) dismissed it as a media narrative and said ‘flourish will occur’ in the heat of political dialogue. But Peters’ recent speech, in which he declared that ‘diversity is weakness and disunity,’ was written with intent, and I fail to see how the racism woven throughout it is an impulsive rhetorical flourish. It is race-baiting that panders to a voter base, stokes division and causes harm, while distracting from issues hurting so many people, like the cost of living, healthcare, and unemployment.
I am equally wary of countering this rhetoric with the constant rehashing of the ‘business case’ for diversity (this article frustratingly leans on that narrative). It only feeds the problem. Valuing people only for their business returns treats migrants as economic units rather than people with inherent rights. Surely, we can uphold human dignity whether or not there is an economic return attached. Pushing either the disunity story or the business case is simply normalising harm.
All of this means I am probably outraged more than I should be. Outrage can be important because it can lead to social change, but it is unhealthy to live in all the time, and it doesn’t always bring people along with you. Balancing it with collective action and working in community feels far healthier. That starts with rejecting the hyper-individualised messages we are fed and asking not ‘what’s best for me’ but ‘what’s best for us.’ But we also need to be careful about who gets included in that ‘us’, and whether it becomes a way of protecting the interests of those who already have a lot. We also need to distinguish solidarity from self-sacrifice, particularly when so many women who already carry so much are expected to keep putting others first. As a policy nerd (I have a PhD in public policy), I think we should keep asking questions about power: who can influence the outcome, who benefits from things staying as they are, whose interests are most at stake, and who has the collective ability to organise for positive change.
And that is where hope comes in. We know that working together is where hope thrives and change happens. So, check out all the events listed below, and join us at our free Annual Public Meeting: Building Aotearoa Together – From Wellbeing to Belonging, on 29 October, from 2pm to 4pm, where there will be a bit of outrage and a whole lot of hope (register here). The fabulous folks from AUT will share preliminary findings from their migrant and former refugee wellbeing study, and we want to hear your reflections. Our Board Co-Chairs and I will also speak, followed by the very wonderful Janet Kamau, who will share her thoughts on what it means to belong in Aotearoa. There will be music, really good kai, and lots of $100 gift vouchers to raffle as a thank-you for sharing your reflections on the wellbeing study, with better odds of winning than most raffles!
Mauri ora,
Angela Wilton
Chief Executive Officer, Belong Aotearoa
In Case You Missed It
Hot Desk in Tāmaki Makaurau (Belong Aotearoa)
Fancy a change of scene? Swap the kitchen table for a desk in Mount Albert, alongside people doing good work for Aotearoa.
Drop in for $26/day + GST and make use of our meeting rooms, boardroom, printer/scanner and kitchen.
Interested? Click here.
Young People’s Understanding of Gender, Pay Equity and Fairness at Work (Inclusive Research Centre)
What does fairness at work mean to you? Share your views in new research exploring how young people aged 18–34 understand and experience gender equity, pay equity and fairness at work.
Click here to participate.
Publishing Opportunity: Advancing Asian Psychologies in Contemporary Globalized Contexts
Research carried out within, and in response to the complex socio-political, historical and cultural realities of diverse Asian communities across the world is welcome.
Learn more here.
Events
In Borrowed Clothes: Term 4 Saturday Sessions
Storytelling, movement and spoken word to explore the pressure to look picture-perfect, and discover the confidence, creativity and connection that come from showing up as ourselves.
When: Every Saturday from 17 October to 12 December, 2pm to 4.30pm.
Where: Auckland Academy of Dance.
Learn more, register here.
Money Management Made Easy, financial management workshops
A personal and family financial management free workshops, brought to you by the Citizens Advice Bureau and Highland Park and Anchorage Park Community Houses. Limited spaces available.
When: Saturdays from 11am to 1pm.
24 October: Insurance, retirement, shares, and KiwiSaver.
31 October: Budgeting and managing cash flow.
Where: Highland Park Community House.
Contact: (09) 534 5584, info@hpapcommunityhouses.org.nz
Your Pay, Your Tax, Your KiwiSaver Workshop
This free online community workshop run by Inland Revenue helps you understand New Zealand tax basics, pay deductions, and KiwiSaver.
When: Thursday 29 October, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.
Where: Online by Zoom
Learn more, register here.
Intersectional Journeys: Chinese Queer International Students Navigating Migration, Sexuality and Belonging in New Zealand
This free webinar from Community Research and the Aotearoa Migration Research Network presents award-winning research by Dr Taylor Cui on how Chinese queer international students navigate New Zealand’s tertiary system and the wider Chinese community.
When: Thursday 5 November, from 6pm to 7pm.
Where: Online by Zoom
Learn more, register here.
The Key to Influence Workshop
The Refugee Alliance is hosting an exclusive workshop for its members led by award-winning journalist Jehan Casinader on how to lead courageous conversations and build influence.
When: Friday 20 November, from 9am to 4.30pm.
Where: Sorento in the Park, Royal Oak.
Register here.
International Economic Abuse Awareness Day | Whakarāmemene Mai
Mark International Economic Abuse Day with an important kōrero on economic abuse and its impact on victim-survivors.
When: Thursday 26 November, from 4pm to 6pm.
Where: Aotearoa Centre.
RSVP to events@goodshepherd.org.nz.
Isthmic Imaginaries: Central American Perspectives on Creative Practice, Memory and Forced Displacement
Join artist-researchers Dr Tania Cañas and Associate Professor Glenda Mejía (RMIT University) in conversation with Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh, exploring how art can open space for ancestral memory, community-led knowledge and decolonial imaginaries.
When: Friday 4 December, from 11am to 12.30pm.
Where: University of Auckland.
Learn more, register here.
Media
Khawat Network supporting women of the diaspora
Eman Ghandour, founder of Khawat Network, talks to First Up about supporting women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, and about her own journey with mental health.
Listen here.
Migrant advocacy group says NZ First has adopted its policy
The Migrant Workers Association has welcomed NZ First’s proposal to stop migrant workers being tied to a single employer, calling it a good first step that echoes its own long-standing advocacy, while questioning the party’s motives given its leaders’ recent remarks about Indian and Chinese migrants.
Read more here.
Foreign student growth prompts warnings
Sector insiders are warning that international student enrolments are growing too fast as Australia and Canada tighten their limits, urging New Zealand to be more selective and invest more in student welfare, housing and mental health.
Read more here.
Brian Tamaki denies inciting racial disharmony
Brian Tamaki, leader of Destiny Church, has denied three charges of inciting racial disharmony.
Read more here.
Citizenship fees: Deficit forecast to reach $68.3m by 2033 without recent fee hike, documents show
The Government’s citizenship account is in its biggest deficit on record, prompting a 14.4% fee rise in August (after a 19% rise last November) and a plan to charge for citizenship tests per attempt to cover costs.
Read more here.
Manurewa voting scandal: Claims locals asked to hand over blank local body election ballots
A young woman has told police a neighbour collected her family’s blank voting papers during last year’s Manurewa local elections.
Read more here.
NZ-born girl with high needs granted permanent residence after appeal
Girl born in NZ with high needs wins permanent residence on appeal.
Read more here.
One Nation’s AI ad is racism by another name
Rita Nasr, writing in Women’s Agenda, condemns One Nation’s AI-generated “Coming Out” ad as a collection of racial stereotypes that casts only black and brown people as criminals or threats. She rejects the party’s defence that it is about crime and social cohesion, and argues that racism and division do nothing to lower living costs and only breed fear.
Read more here.
Political rivals agree more can be done on immigration settings
Candidates from five parties debated immigration, racism and welfare at a Shakti NZ community meeting in Auckland.
Read more here.
Do you have news you would like to share in our fortnightly Sector Update? Simply email your update to: sectorupdates@belong.org.nz.
Ngā mihi,
Belong Aotearoa Team