 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||
Manukau PIAC
PIAC: representing Manukau’s Pacific peoples
Prostitution, alcohol and more
Media
Fono
Multi-ethnic Manukau
Sir Barry Curtis, Mayor of Manukau City.
PIAC: representing Manukau’s Pacific peoples
The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) requires a higher level of consultation with citizens on all issues. In fact, it requires a council to consult prior to the drafting of any position paper that is then sent out for wider consultation.
Advisory councils, such as Manukau’s Pacific Islands Advisory Committee
(PIAC), can become recognised by council policy analysts as a credible resource
for the initial drafting consultation round. They can earn this mana by making
presentations to the relevant committees on specific issues.
Consultations provide opportunities for communities and councils to hear each
other. Submissions help shape plans. Manukau’s long-time Mayor, Sir Barry
Curtis, said in his message with the culturally-diverse city’s 2003–2013
Long-Term Council Community Plan, “I greatly value our liaison with tangata
whenua, Pacific Islands groups, and representatives of our diverse communities.” Manukau
City Manager Colin Dale said, “Council will continue to support the Pacific
Islands Advisory Committee and is developing a new settlers’ policy in
recognition of the more than 150 groups represented in the city.”
The starting point for this plan – which identified a number of priorities
and policies towards Pacific Island groups – was extensive consultation
asking people where they would like the city to be in 15 years.
Prostitution, alcohol and more
The rationale for the Pacific Islands Advisory Committee (PIAC)’s presence is that, like all citizens:
- Pacific peoples have a right to be heard at local government level
- PIAC is the body to take this to council
- PIAC is the local Pacific peoples’ committee, and the voice of the Pacific Islands community.
Chaired since 2003 by Tongan Health Society Chief Executive Paul Muller, PIAC has focused on:
- Prostitution Reform Act (regulation by Council)
- alcohol strategy
- youth policy review/child advocacy
- disability strategy
- gaming venue policy development
- Pacific economic development framework.
PIAC communicates with Council and its committees. The chair presents PIAC minutes and related issues in person to the Community Development Committee, and recently moved to extend its participation in Manukau Council affairs. A range of Council committees, workshops and steering committees are often the recipients of presentations.
Throughout New Zealand, advisory committees such as PIAC speak up on chosen issues, doing their work in various, and culturally specific, ways – and thus contributing to policy development. Paul Muller is interested in how other special-interest groups such as migrants talk with their local authorities.
Media
Advisory committees can do their work with their communities and councils in various – and culturally specific – ways.
Dealing with the media can be an effective tool, assisted by plans for interaction with the various organisations. All relevant media should be identified within the local area as well as those that the communities use. This appropriately includes, but is not limited to, press, radio and TV. Advisory committees can make their presence felt at relevant community-based meetings.
Contact should be made with editors and journalists in identified media outlets. It is also valuable to the media if advisory committee members can identify who is available to comment on issues. Often media outlets are looking for comment from the community to add weight to stories.
Fono
Fono is a forum used by Pacific peoples. Manukau’s PIAC is able to convene community fono – usually at the second round of public consultation of the issues identified as important. It is also able to manage annual or biannual fono with agencies, and city decision makers, to identify positions on certain issues.
The Pasifika tradition of family-centred community continues in New Zealand.
Multi-ethnic Manukau
Manukau is home to the richest and poorest New Zealanders – 50% of its families have incomes of less than $25,000. It is the youngest New Zealand city – established in 1965 – and it is arguably the most rapidly developing greenfields city in the nation. Manukau has 160 ethnic classifications in its population. Chinese 18–25-year-olds are prominent among the new settlers – and people from a number of Pacific Islands nations are more numerous in Manukau than in their islands of origin.
The Pacific population of Manukau numbers 70,000. 30,000 are Samoan, and there are 25,000 Cook Islanders, more than in the Cook Islands. A third of the 20,000 Niueans in New Zealand are in Manukau – as against only 1,500 in Niue. In 2004, four elected members of the Manukau City Council were Pacific people (three from its Mangere ward) and the Council gets advice from the Manukau Pacific Islands Advisory Council (PIAC). Manukau MPs have been both full and associate Ministers of Pacific Islands Affairs in central government – and held portfolios of direct interest to both Pacific migrant and other New Zealanders, such as housing, transport and social development.
Reconciling biculturalism and multiculturalism: www.futurestrust.org
