Strengthening community relations

A new programme is launched to help diverse communities connect.

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The Labour-led government is developing a new programme to strengthen relationships between New Zealand's different ethnic, cultural and religious communities.

The programme, called Connecting Diverse Communities, is to be led by Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter and Social Development Minister David Benson-Pope.

It pulls together a broad mix of existing, enhanced and new initiatives from across all aspects of government.

"At 23 percent, New Zealand has one of the highest rates in the OECD of people born overseas," Chris Carter said.

"To date, we have been well served by the Kiwi 'live-and-let-live' attitude, and the moderate nature of our minority communities. But the government is concerned to ensure this remains the case as our society becomes more complex, and tensions flare elsewhere in the world.

"Each and every New Zealander, regardless of their background or identity, should feel part of a cohesive society," Mr Carter said.

Over the past year, the government has engaged in a wide-ranging review to assess what initiatives are already in place to protect and promote relationships between diverse communities, and what New Zealand can learn from other countries.

As a result of this work, new initiatives have begun to:

·Improve the amount of pre-arrival information about living in New Zealand to migrants, including information about the rights and responsibilities of New Zealanders;
·Extend training programmes across the public sector to improve communication and understanding between the sector and ethnic communities;
·Revise the criteria for the Treaty of Waitangi Commemorations Fund, so the fund supports initiatives that involve immigrant communities in learning about the Treaty of Waitangi;
·Develop programmes that increase the understanding among migrant and refugees about New Zealand's heritage areas and conservation values;
·Support the development of a national statement on religious diversity, with the goal of promoting interfaith understanding.

These initiatives add to more than 30 existing initiatives that have been identified by the review. A series of other proposals are also under development.

"A sense of inclusiveness and an acceptance of difference has always been a part of New Zealand's national identity," David Benson-Pope said.

"The Connecting Diverse Communities programme will help ensure the government's efforts to underpin this aspect of our national character are better co-ordinated and effective."

Consultation about the programme is beginning with interested groups before further initiatives are finalised. Members of the public wanting more information can go to www.ethnicaffairs.govt.nz

ENDS

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