Choudhary Ashraf: Valedictory Statements 
Choudhary Ashraf: Valedictory Statements 
[Volume:676;Page:21608] 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) 
: 
 Mr Speaker my parliamentary colleagues and my former parliamentary colleagues first I wish to greet you all in some of the languages of the people I have represented over the last 9 years: kia ora assalam o alaikum shalom namaste sat sri akaal ayubowan ni hao and good afternoon and to my Pasifika colleagues I say talofa lava and malo. 
I acknowledge the presence of members of my family and the many members of the diplomatic corps tangata whenua community leaders friends and supporters who have come from various parts of New Zealand to join me on this occasion. Many of these individuals and community representatives too numerous to mention here have provided me with guidance encouragement and support in fulfilling my role as an MP for the Labour Party and in the implementation of its policies over 9 years. 
Every member of this House realises the value of the work and support of their life partner. I wish to thank my wife Samina who has been the foundation of family support over my three terms as an MP which resulted in me being away from home over long periods while undertaking a large amount of travel around Aotearoa New Zealand. Samina kept the family stability and gave loving care to our daughter Mehreen and her husband Shahid my elder son Anwar and his wife Rabia and our younger son Atif. Through this unending love and encouragement our children have achieved high standards academically and vocationally and have become positive contributors to society. Their ongoing success has fulfilled my dreams. 
My political journey actually started some 40 years ago during my student life at university as the journeys of many in this House probably have done. I joined a progressive political party in my first homeland of Pakistan and took part in my first election as an activist. On election day for my safety and to avoid his own embarrassment my father locked me up in my room because I was going to vote against his party. So that was the end of my very short political career in Pakistan and I left that country soon thereafter. From then on as I would journey through life I decided to help open closed doors for others in the fields of education community development and politics. 
My waka to Aotearoa New Zealand first landed in 1976. As an Asian on my arrival I felt prejudice as conveyed by the often-used words such as “curry-munchers” “wogs” and “niggers”. Once I understood the meanings of these words I started working across different communities to change such prevailing racism. In conveying my beliefs of fairness justice and equality I aligned with the core principles of the Labour Party. As a grassroots worker I undertook to assist ethnic communities to understand Aotearoa New Zealand democracy the rule of law tolerance and human rights and to provide leadership quietly and peacefully for us to ingest ourselves with positive law-abiding qualities as contributors to the Crown and tangata whenua the two co-signatories of the Treaty of Waitangi. It was my long history of involvement in the Muslim and ethnic communities that under MMP eventually led me to become the first member of South Asian extraction and the first Muslim member of the New Zealand Parliament in 2002. 
Often there is a stigma attached to list MPs as members have probably heard many times—that they have no electorate or constituency of their own. In my case I believe that this has been far from the truth. I have had the largest constituency spread across the cities and towns of New Zealand for all these years. As an MP I was able to promote and support ethnic diversity in New Zealand as well as offer my expertise as an agricultural and environmental scientist. As such I represented all people irrespective of their ethnicity creed or religion. I took upon myself additional roles to continue to educate the migrant and ethnic communities about democracy the rule of law tolerance and the New Zealand way of life. Many migrants have come from countries and regions where democracy is either non-existent or not practised as we know it in New Zealand. I have facilitated our ethnic communities becoming involved in decision making at all levels and I have quietly worked to break down barriers including providing access to MPs and visiting within the confines of this building—strange to many new migrants to this country. 
The Asian population in New Zealand is projected to have the largest relative growth averaging 3.4 percent a year. Their share of the population is likely to equal the Maori population within the next few years. These demographic changes need to be catered for. All the political parties need to uptake their responsibilities. It is not good enough to just use ethnic MPs and their communities as a kind of ATM machine. Ethnic communities seek respect and long-term relationships with political parties not just lip-service and a few minutes of attendance at their annual festivals before people leave them as if they might catch bird flu. 
Education is a key to understanding our differences through the common goals of peace security and opportunity for our families and communities. I have undertaken this through encouraging numerous community leaders to undertake interfaith dialogue ethnic workshops and the strengthening and inter-participation of ethnic communities. The growth of non-Christian faiths as reflected in the last New Zealand census provides the platform for continued diversity through knowledge understanding sharing and peace in Aotearoa New Zealand. Associated with this endeavour in my first term I initiated the hosting of faith and cultural festivals within Parliament for community representatives starting the Diwali festival for the Hindu community and the Eid festival for the Muslim community. 
The Labour Government set up the Maori Television channel which I regularly watch. This has been a great success in reaching out to the Maori community and celebrating their contribution. The time has come where we need to do something similar for the ethnic communities of New Zealand. Last year I promoted my member’s bill on establishing an ethnic broadcasting commission of inquiry. Because of our diverse society I envisaged this as a way to promote a choice of more multicultural and multilingual television services that inform educate and provide entertainment accessible to all New Zealanders. Unfortunately this bill has not been drawn out of the ballot for debate so far. I trust that future Governments on both sides of the House will take serious note of this urgent need for the ethnic communities. 
I have been a keen member of the Primary Production Committee continuously for 9 years and the Education and Science Committee during my first two terms in Parliament. This was a choice I made and it was granted. I also chaired the Education and Science Committee in 2008. I believe that members on both sides of the House have appreciated my contribution as an agricultural scientist on these committees. I will certainly miss colleagues on the Primary Production Committee; I thoroughly enjoyed it. 
In these roles I confirmed my view that we need to continuously innovate in our agricultural sector. Knowledge science and research and development as the skills of our primary industry are our competitive advantage in the world. High-value exports rely on innovation. Innovation requires investment in education research through universities and the private sector and development through business interrelationships. This is required for our future economic growth in order to meet the overseas demand for premium products and services that are currently required in the high economic growth countries. 
With rising GDP and the economic influence of Asia in the world our small country down under needs to seriously reassess our association with Asia. It is my sad observation that for too long our relationship with Asia has remained transactional in nature whether in the field of business education and training or tourism. From what I have learnt through my interactions we politicians and the New Zealand public need to broaden our thinking and outlook and more deeply engage with our tangata whenua immigrants and particularly Asian people to earn their trust and respect. 
These matters have also often come up during discussions when I have been interacting with or hosting many overseas diplomats particularly from the Asian and Middle Eastern regions. I believe my close working relationships with members of the diplomatic community from the wider Asian region and Middle Eastern countries as evidenced by the presence in the gallery of many of them today have brought significant benefits to Aotearoa New Zealand in the growth of education trade and political relationships and a better understanding of the diversity and significant value to New Zealand. 
Yesterday we heard the sad news of the death of our SAS solider Leon Smith in Afghanistan. I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and his loved ones. As the Hon Phil Goff said yesterday I know this is not the time to talk about the rights and wrongs of the presence of our troops in Afghanistan. However we must reflect on these issues urgently as we cannot continue to fight other people’s immoral and unending wars of retribution and vengeance. We cannot stand tall among independent nations unless we follow our own home-grown policies. These policies need to be based on fairness justice and equity and human rights for all. 
When entering Parliament I was particularly fortunate to work with the previous Prime Minister Helen Clark. Her leadership skills are unparalleled in her long service to the people of Aotearoa New Zealand coupled with the visionary support of her deputy the Hon Michael Cullen. These leaders have been aptly replaced by the Hon Phil Goff and Annette King who have professionally continued the leadership the direction and the vision of the Labour Party. They are backed by colleagues full of the vibrancy intellect and skill to bring Aotearoa New Zealand to the economic social and skill levels needed to become fully competitive within our wider world. These skilled members of Parliament and members of the caucus provide a supportive environment and I have always enjoyed their company. To that end I acknowledge my former colleague from Palmerston North the Hon Steve Maharey for being my mentor during the first 6 years of my career as an MP. I also wish to thank my colleagues George Hawkins Su’a William Sio and Ross Robertson who included me in the “Southside Caucus” of our caucus. I thank them for their support and wisdom. 
On joining Parliament I established the Ethnic Sector Council within the Labour Party which drew a lot of ethnic people to join the Labour Party over the years. At the beginning of this term when Raymond Huo and Rajen Prasad joined me in Parliament we established the ethnic caucus within the Labour Party. I thank them both for their support and collegiality. 
To all those who worked with me in Parliament my current and former executive assistants Rebecca Papprill Sandra Wilson Helen Toner and Gunda Tente and to my out-of-Parliament issues assistant in Auckland Mr Alamgir Afridi I say thank you for your high-quality work. I say a thank you also to the tireless work of Parliament’s receptionists messengers Hansard reporters select committee staff security guards and Copperfield’s and Bellamy’s staff. 
Finally many ethnic community leaders and opinion leaders texted me when they heard the news of my stepping down from Parliament as a Labour MP. I thought I should quote just three of them. Brijesh said: “It’s a big loss to Labour as I’m not sure who will be the voice of the Indian people after you resign. Thank you for all your support and assistance when we needed it.” Mr Zaker said: “Dear Sir your entrance into politics not only lifted our morale but paved the way for ethnic migrants to actively join politics and to become bees of the beehive. You are an icon and I hope that many will have benefited from your political wisdom.” Then from Ilango: “Dear Dr I am shocked. We Indians were always proud to be represented in Parliament by you.” He says: “In my eyes you were never just a politician; you are honest simple humble and approachable. I am looking forward to working with you in the future. I am always with you.” 
So these words give me confidence that I have been able to open closed doors for the ethnic people of New Zealand and that my 9 years in Parliament have been a positive platform from which others can launch their waka and take up the challenge to continue in the development of a land not only of milk sheep and honey but also a diverse progressive society of equality understanding and peace. 
Before I finally finish I have a postscript. Last night I received a great but very pleasant surprise in my life. At a moving ceremony I was given this gift of pounamu. I was honoured by Mr Jack Wood on behalf of a number of iwi leaders to wear this at this occasion. This generosity reflected the mana of our people. I say publicly that my family and I will not forget this gesture. I thank you Jack and Pushpa Wood for this. Finally Mr Speaker can I also say thank you for your many many invitations to meet with the visiting guests at Parliament and for the opportunity that I had to travel with you to Viet Nam and to Japan at one time. Thank you very much and God bless all of you. 
Waiata