Huo Raymond: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
Huo Raymond: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:657;Page:6448] 
RAYMOND HUO (Labour) 
: 
 My amendment to the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill proposes that a new clause 12B be inserted after clause 12A. The new clause 12A establishes an Asian Advisory Board and its purpose is to perform an advisory role for the governing body in relation to its decisions relating to the Asian community to represent the views of the Asian community and to enable the participation of the Asian community in the decision-making process of the Auckland Council. Membership of the board will be determined by the governing body in consultation with Asian communities and community leaders within the Auckland region. The Asian Advisory Board will have no fewer than four members appointed by a majority vote of the governing body. 
This morning I received an email from Professor Manying Ip a prominent scholar and Asian community leader which included her blessing and endorsement. The reason she gave for endorsing my amendment was a simple one: sheer demographics mean that Asians cannot be ignored in any plans for Auckland. The 2006 census found that 234222 people were recorded as belonging to the Asian ethnic group and living in the Auckland Regional Council area. Chinese made up 42 percent of those Indian 31.8 percent Korean 9.1 percent Filipino 4.2 percent Japanese 2.3 percent Sri Lankan 2.2 percent and Cambodian and Thai 1.4 percent each. Roughly Asians make up 13 percent of the population of Auckland which is the largest demographic after Europeans and Maori. 
Auckland is the first port of call for many immigrants and most of them stay there. With about two-thirds of all new Asian migrants settling in Auckland it is there that the changes are most apparent. Auckland absorbs a disproportionate share of this growth with an estimated future growth of about 51 percent for the Asian population up to 2016 compared with 46 percent for New Zealand as a whole. The report by the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance pointed out that ethnic minorities are under-represented on Auckland’s councils. After the 2007 elections 84 percent of the members of Auckland’s councils identify as European 9 percent as Maori 4 percent as Pacific and 4 percent as Asian. The royal commission report provided profiles for Pacific and Asian people in Auckland and identified the challenges that are faced in terms of housing health wages education skills development transportation and socio-economic issues. The royal commission pointed out that engagement with Asian and Pacific communities was critical to improving governance relationships and improving strategies aimed at increasing socio-economic productivity goals. It recommended establishing advisory panels for Pacific Asian and other ethnic communities. 
However the bill as drafted does not include Asian representation in the reorganisation of Auckland governance. The Supplementary Order Paper that the Labour ethnic caucus introduced moves to enhance and guarantee such representation. Many Auckland councils already use formal structures such as advisory groups to ensure that the voices of certain groups in society are heard. An Asian Advisory Board that sits within local government structures would be a proper forum. As honourable members can tell we are not asking for privilege or for a seat or seats; we are asking for a form of recognition and a proper right of representation. 
I urge the Government’s Asian MPs to support the proposed amendments. Under MMP we now have six Asian honourable members of Parliament three on this side and three on the other side. Again I urge National’s Asian MPs to support our proposed amendments and work together for this productive hard-working proportion of the new regime’s population. It is not about politics; it is about what is best for the people of Auckland. We need to work together to ensure that our ethnic community has a say in the future of Auckland. Thank you.