31 July 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT

Pacific panel should be permanent

The Auckland Council’s Pacific and ethnic advisory panels should become a permanent fixture of the Super City says Labour’s spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs Su’a William Sio.

“Ensuring that minority voices are heard must be a priority,” Su’a William Sio said.

The Pacific and ethnic peoples advisory panels were established during Auckland Council’s transition to a ‘Super City’. The aim of the panels is to ensure that Pacific and ethnic voices have a strong mandate to advise the Council on Pacific and ethnic matters.

“Recently the community has raised fears that the panels will be disestablished next year.

“I am pleased that Mayor Len Brown has spoken out in support of the panels, but further reassurance is necessary,” Su’a William Sio said.

“Every population report I’ve read points to the fact that both Pacific and ethnic populations will grow significantly in years to come. They must be an integral part of the decision making in the future of the Auckland region.

“The structure of the Super City was rigorously debated with the rights of minorities in mind. I hope the spirit of those discussions will be reflected in a decision to formalise these panels and the advocacy role they fulfil for their communities,” Su’a William Sio said.

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