Huo Raymond: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
Huo Raymond: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:657;Page:6473] 
RAYMOND HUO (Labour) 
: 
 Thank you. Mr Chair for the opportunity to take another call on the Supplementary Order Paper I put forward. It seeks to establish an Asian Advisory Board. Professor Manying Ip in her endorsement of such a proposal gave the simple reason that the sheer demographics would mean that Asians could not be ignored in any plans for Auckland. 
Apart from those permanent residents we cannot ignore other demographic factors. For example the number of international students arriving in New Zealand rose dramatically from the mid-1990s peaked at more than 120000 in 2002 and then stabilised at about 95000 in 2005. Asian students comprise about 87 percent of all international students with about two-thirds coming from China. 
Permanent Asian residents in Auckland on the other hand make up 13 percent of the population. As is noted in the royal commission’s report: “Stakeholders from ethnic communities are concerned about how engaged local authorities are in the issues of concern to them and how their communities are assisted to participate in council processes.” The royal commission’s report notes that ethnic minorities are under-represented on Auckland’s councils. After the 2007 elections 84 percent of the members of Auckland’s councils identified as European 9 percent as Maori 4 percent as Pacific and 4 percent as Asian. 
As a list member of Parliament based in Auckland I had the opportunity to attend the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee public hearings in Auckland. The submission by the Families Commission confirmed that the Auckland region is the most socially and ethnically diverse in New Zealand. Effective representation of those socially and ethnically diverse groups has an important role to play in local government because it will enable them to contribute effectively to their own good and therefore to the greater common good. 
Local bodies have historically failed to provide meaningful representation and to achieve the participation of ethnic minorities. This is a good opportunity for the Government to remedy the situation. The establishment of advisory panels for Asian communities along with the Pacific communities is sensible and meaningful and it will be effective. This area is not addressed in the Government’s current legislation. Labour supports the establishment of Pacific and Asian advisory bodies. We believe they should be given a statutory purpose with direct links into the Auckland Council to ensure that they are recognised and are required to meet with the entire council on a regular basis. 
Many speakers have emphasised how important Auckland is to New Zealand. Our country is small so we must be smarter and more diligent. It is particularly important nowadays when we are living in a world where commercial trade and financial flows are globalised. We cannot afford to become isolated and that is evidenced by the trend towards small bilateral and regional free-trade agreements. Countries in other regions are becoming increasingly connected by a complex web of trading arrangements. By engaging Asians—our Kiwi Asians—we will help to strengthen the web of trading arrangements. 
I am grateful to the Prime Minister the Hon John Key who acknowledged when addressing Peking University in China in April this year the importance of the free-trade agreement with China which was signed by the then trade Minister and current Labour leader the Hon Phil Goff. Let me quote the Hon John Key: “When we signed the Free Trade Agreement last year we opened an important door and now our task is to boldly walk through it.” 
Similarly in respect of the super-city bill—and taking into consideration the Supplementary Order Paper that would set up an Asian Advisory Board—we have opened an important door. It is up to the Government to walk through it. Thank you.