Choudhary Ashraf: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Choudhary Ashraf: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:607;Page:4418] 
12.  
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (NZ Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Ethnic Affairs 
: What recent initiatives has the Government taken to recognise New Zealand’s growing ethnic diversity? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister for Ethnic Affairs) 
: 
 Last week I formally launched the  
Ethnic Perspectives and Policy 
 document. That document will guide all Government departments on creating policy that is responsive to the needs of ethnic peoples. Government Ministers have directed their chief executives to implement that policy framework that takes into account the needs of New Zealand’s growing and diverse ethnic population which is almost 10 percent of New Zealanders. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: What further initiatives has the Government taken to engage the ethnic communities of New Zealand? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I am pleased to report that there have been quite a number of initiatives. They include Language Line the Government’s 30-language free-to-user telephone interpreting service that will be coming online soon. I am continuing with a series of very successful ethnic listening forums in New Zealand’s main centres. The Chinese poll tax reconciliation process is on track and I expect that to be resolved later this year. 
Pansy Wong 
: In the light of the Government’s hasty change to the English-language requirement that has seen members of the immigration consultants association experience a drop in business migrant applications from 2200 to 13 can he tell the House how the initiative of that English-language requirement contributes to growing New Zealand’s ethnic diversity? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I do not have responsibility for immigration issues. However English-language proficiency has a critical impact on a new Kiwi’s chances of gaining a job. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why on earth should the hard-working long-suffering New Zealand taxpayer have to pay for every other ethnic group coming to New Zealand when we cannot afford to pay for the people who have been here for decades and centuries and what happened to the policy of one country and one people albeit of different backgrounds? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The best response to that member’s question is my thought that at a time of international conflict this House has a moral responsibility to bring New Zealanders together rather than to divide them. I utterly reject the gutter politics of racial division. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I will not have that nancy accuse me of gutter politics. You heard what he said. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: There are ways to raise points of order and that is not one of them. First the member will withdraw and apologise for that comment. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Before the member goes on on reflection I think that the Hon Chris Carter did make a comment at the end of that reply that I want him to withdraw and apologise for. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I assume Mr Speaker that you mean “gutter politics” and “racial division”? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No the member should not compound the error. I want him to stand up and say “I withdraw and apologise.” 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Paul Adams 
: Has he received any reports that the Government’s initiatives to recognise New Zealand’s growing ethnic diversity are being undermined by attacks on new immigrants by politicians in their twilight years? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister is not responsible for part of that question. He may give a very brief comment. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: In my listening forums that have taken place—and three very successful ones have taken place so far with the Muslim community the Korean community and the Urdu-speaking Indian community—that issue has been raised at all three forums.