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Increasing Civic Participation
Fuimaono Les McCarthy
Chief Executive, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.
New Zealand and Pacific peoples have enjoyed a strong relationship
for more than 100 years through constitutional ties, trade, intermarriage,
education, business, employment, immigration for much needed labour,
and the quest for a better life for themselves, their families and future
generations.
Pacific peoples are continuing to make a strong and positive contribution to
New Zealand society. However, there are still challenges ahead in building
on their successes.
Increasingly, Pacific peoples have recognised that in order to influence the effective allocation of resources, they need to be more actively involved in decision-making processes at all levels of New Zealand society.
A concerted effort has been applied to increasing the representation of Pacific peoples in influential forums where key decisions are made.
Developing an effective voice
As part of its role, the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs facilitates this process. One of the Ministry’s key outcomes is targeting decision-making. This means increasing involvement and visibility of Pacific peoples in higher-level decision-making positions.
Being able to influence decision-making processes that directly impact on the lives of Pacific peoples is critical to the success of developing effective strategies that will achieve the key goal of reducing inequalities.
The Ministry encourages increased civic participation by Pacific communities through both the electoral process and representation in positions of influence on public sector bodies. This will help to ensure that local and central government policies addressing key issues are responsive to Pacific peoples and their perspective.
Increasing participation
These include strategies and initiatives targeting the Government’s
priority areas of health, housing, education, and employment. The development
of these strategies has involved wide consultation with Pacific communities
and the creation of high-level Pacific reference and advisory groups.
More government agencies and local councils are beginning to include a Pacific
perspective into their consultation and decision-making processes. However,
the practice needs to be adopted more widely.
The Ministry plays an active role in supporting and advising other agencies, including the Electoral Commission, Electoral Office and School Trustees Association, on how best to engage with Pacific communities to improve their participation in decision-making processes at community, local and central government levels.
The Ministry also encourages Pacific peoples to equip themselves with the necessary skills and experience to contribute effectively, and to put themselves forward for governance and leadership positions.
Pacific peoples’ participation in decision-making processes is growing and will continue to do so as more agencies realise that effective participation by Pacific peoples adds value to their work in achieving effective outcomes for all New Zealanders.
The role of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs is to be the leader in policy advice that facilitates and adds value to this process. Greater civic participation, in all spheres of New Zealand society, will help Pacific peoples to achieve the dream of a better life which brought them to New Zealand.
Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
PO Box 833, Wellington
Tel: (04) 473 4493
Fax: (04) 473 4301
E-mail: contact@minpac.govt.nz
Web: http://www.minpac.govt.nz