Pansy Wong

National Ethnic Affairs Spokesperson

29 August 2002

Wake up Minister - ethnic communities are New Zealanders too

Chris Carter has continued the blundering of George Hawkins in the role of Ethnic Affairs Minister, says National's Ethnic Affairs spokesperson Pansy Wong.

"The continual portrayal of ethnic communities as non-English speaking new migrants is a false stereotype. Trumpeting a telephone interpretation service as a way to help ethnic communities integrate only reinforces this stereotype.

"Ethnic communities such as the Chinese have been here for generations.

"It is time for Labour Ministers to understand and distinguish the provision of migrant settlement services from empowering ethnic communities to fulfill their dreams and aspirations to be treated as fellow New Zealanders," said Ms Wong.

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