10. Question No. 10—Diversity Inclusion and Ethnic CommunitiesVANUSHI WALTERS (Labour—Upper Harbour) to the Minister for Diversity Inclusion and Ethnic CommunitiesQuestion No. 10—Diversity Inclusion and Ethnic Communities10. VANUSHI WALTERS (Labour—Upper Harbour) to the Minister for Diversity Inclusion and Ethnic Communities: What recent announcements has she made about this Government's ongoing support of ethnic communities in Aotearoa?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Minister for Diversity Inclusion and Ethnic Communities): Today the Ministry for Ethnic Communities released its inaugural strategy that sets out tangible actions that it will take over the next few years to work to create a more cohesive society where everyone feels safe valued a sense of belonging and able to contribute to Aotearoa's growth. The ministry's strategy is informed by the communities it serves. It lays out work that the ministry will lead and work that the ministry will undertake in collaboration with other Government agencies to achieve the outcomes sought by our communities. Our ethnic communities make a significant contribution to New Zealand. However it's also true that many groups face specific barriers that lead to poorer social and economic outcomes. For example many have told us that they struggle to access Government services that are relevant to them and find work that pays them fairly and that's why this strategy includes a strong focus on strengthening initiatives to improve economic outcomes including addressing barriers to employment and supporting workplaces to be more inclusive.Vanushi Walters: How will the strategy support an inclusive labour market that enables ethnic communities to pursue jobs?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Many from our ethnic communities work in some of the hardest-hit sectors and so have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic but this Government has worked hard to deliver record low unemployment at 3.3 percent against expectations when COVID hit that it could rise as high as 10 percent. It is vital though that we continue to support our communities in ways that are relevant to them. This strategy will work in alignment with the Government's Former Refugees Recent Migrants and Ethnic Communities Employment Action Plan and focuses on addressing some really specific barriers to finding meaningful work skills development and also supporting the workplaces to become more diverse and more inclusive. Another key action that's already under way is the Ethnic Communities Graduate Programme that both provides a first employment option into the Public Service and makes the Public Service more culturally competent.DEPUTY SPEAKER: That answer was far too long. You'd actually addressed the question. I didn't interrupt you but I'm going to offer the Opposition an additional question if they would like to ask this Minister.Vanushi Walters: How does the strategy build on the Government's support for ethnic communities to grow their skills celebrate their culture and take part in society?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: This Government has continued to support ethnic communities to thrive through the Ethnic Communities Development Fund that was actually increased eightfold in the last term of Government. Since July 2021 we've supported about 345 programmes across the country that do exactly this and I'm confident that this strategy will help us to continue along that trajectory.Melissa Lee: How many successful nominations to increase ethnic diversity on public sector boards has the Ministry for Ethnic Communities made and is the answer still one successful nomination since its establishment per the Minister's reply to written parliamentary question No. 11188 on 11 April this year?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Once again that was back in April—it's clearly been a fair few long months for the National Party. There is a significant work programme by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities to ensure that we support nominations made by various other Ministers into diverse boards and you'll know from the previous answer by Minister Tinetti that we've actually seen an increase in the number of people from ethnic communities on public sector boards.Melissa Lee: Point of order. Thank you Mr Speaker. The question was very specific and it actually said How many successful nominations to increase ethnic diversity on public sector boards" and the Minister did not answer that question.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yeah but she did actually address it within her answer.Hon Michael Wood: Supplementary.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Supplementary—the Hon Michael Wood [Interruption] Order! We have a question.Hon Michael Wood: Does the Minister believe that all organisations should consider the diversity of representation that they present to the community?DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Minister can answer but be very careful that that question is not targeted at another political party.Chris Bishop: Point of order Mr Speaker. That supplementary just does not flow from the primary question which is about announcements about the Government's ongoing support of ethnic communities notwithstanding the Minister's extremely long and fluffy answer.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Minister can respond in so far as it relates to the primary question and her responsibilities—don't go outside that.Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Yes absolutely. We've heard time and again from ethnic communities that while they want to be supported into employment and into leadership positions in various spaces we also need to make sure that those spaces are representative of them."