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Vol 2 Issue 51

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Reaching the broader Asian community

The scramble for Asian votes.

Candidate quality and the numbers game Pg 12

Vandalism or Hooliganism? Vandalism on Campaign Pg 14 Hoardings

Post-grad student enrolment saves t h e d a y Pg 18

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This election may spring a few surprises on everyone.

Fotos - Clockwise from the left:

Election seminar organised by the Waitakere Ethnic Board Labour MP Phil Twyford with a Korean family in West Auckland

For one thing, the Asian vote could well be a game changer.

Auckland - The countdown has begun for Election Day on 20th September 2014. Who will win is anybody's guess at this stage as the ruling party and the opposition struggle to get to the finish line. This election may spring a few surprises on everyone. For one thing, the Asian vote could well be a game changer. Based on empirical evidence Asians, in particular the new migrants and the older generation, have tended to vote en masse for either Labour or National. But their loyalty to these parties, as we have seen in the last two elections, is fickle. Their support can swing either way, say Asian commentators, based on the performance of each party and the migrant friendly policies they roll out. “There is a perception that Labour is more amenable to building a multicultural society (and therefore tailors its socioeconomic policies accordingly), whereas National is more business/entrepreneur friendly (irrespective of one's race/ethnicity),” says Auckland lawyer Shawn Tan, who was an Act candidate in the 2008 General Elections. “My understanding of how Asians vote is that those who make the effort to vote tend to also take the trouble to read up on the various parties' policies and are thus less likely to be swayed by slogans and more likely to be convinced by good, sound policy arguments.” “I don't believe

Below: Chao-Fu Wu, Labour, Kenneth Wang, Act and Paul Young, Conservative Party

The scramble for Asian votes

By MEL FERNANDEZ

that we Asians vote for a candidate solely on the basis of their political affiliation,” says Clem Del Corro, a Filipina who runs a holistic wellness program in Hastings. “We are more interested in the candidate's track record.” Bevan Chuang, a former Auckland local board election candidate, agrees that Asians are no longer supporting one particular party. “Politicians assume that the Asian vote is going to National because of the groundwork done by Pansy Wong. “However, I've been following the discussions on Skykiwi, NZ's largest Chinese website and the views are mixed. Many are tired of Winston Peter's comments, but at the same time a few Chinese people will vote for NZ First. Mainland Chinese in general may not vote for the Greens because of their pro-Tibet stance. “Asian voters have a wider choice these days as

most political parties have at least one Asian candidate on board to appease them.” In mid-August the New Zealand Herald conducted a street poll of 40 Asian voters in Avondale, Albany and Botany that showed, “strong support for the smaller parties among Asian voters. Nearly one in five said that they would vote for either Act (12.5 per cent) or the Conservatives (7.5 per cent), with just three in 10 backing National. The support for National was the same as the combined total for Labour (17.5 per cent) and the Greens (12.5 per cent)”. The penny has finally dropped for our political parties. Reality check - the demographic of the nation has changed irrevocably. The tidal wave of international migration, mainly from Asia, to offset the outflow of New Zealand citizens to Australia has changed our ethnic mix. According to Massey

University pro vice-chancellor Professor Paul Spoonley, Maori will be outnumbered by Asians as the second biggest ethnic group in New Zealand by 2023. The need to field a larger contingent of minority candidates to harvest the ethnic vote became apparent as Election Day closed in. The smaller parties scrambled to find ethnic candidates so much that the revelation of their candidates list was down to the wire. When election advertising commenced in subur-

ban and ethnic newspapers it featured the party leader and the electorate candidate posing with highly placed List Candidates representing one or more of the main ethnic groups - Chinese, Indian, Pacific Islander and Maori. In any case, it is gratifying to know that in this General Election a larger contingent of migrant battlers have thrown their hats into the ring to actively participate in the arduous democratic process. And to give them a fighting chance most of them have beenre-

The Auckland Asian Association’s Election seminar in West Auckland

cruited as List Candi-dates. It's a brave party boss who would want to field a 'migrant face' to contest one of its electorates, even if it is a safe seat. An exception to this rule was, of course, National's dynamic List MP, Pansy Wong, who went to battle in the Howick electorate where a third of the population is Asian. In this election there are quite a few ethnic faces bravely doing battle in suburbs where there is a relatively high migrant population. Fortunately for Asians there's a safety net under the MMP system which allows political parties to steer some of their ethnic candidates into Parliament via their party list. But even then another obstacle looms, a dearth of high calibre candidates with the profile needed for a start in politics.

Continues on Pg 11

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The scramble for Asian votes “My concern is that the ethnic candidates who get into Parliament do get to have a say in ethnic policies and are not merely there to make up the numbers.” - Ken Choe

Bevan Chuang

Clem Del Corro

Shawn Tan

Asoka Basnayake, who is a member of the Auckland Council’s Ethnic Advisory Board, feels that political parties should be looking for more versatile candidates. “Aspiring politicians need to be able to work with different ethnic groups and not just be able to represent their own ethnic group and parties shouldn't select people with a view of generating votes from the larger ethnic communities as they have been doing in the past.” At the last election five List MPs made it into

Parliament – Raymond Huo and Dr Rajen Prasad (Labour) and Melissa Lee, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Jian Yang (National). Dr Rajen Prasad is exiting politics this year and in his place Priyanca Radhakrishan has come in to revitalise the Labour line-up. “Quite a few candidates are coming from various ethnic groups this year; that surely is very good for politics in NZ,” says Ken Choe, a Malaysian businessman who owns Presentations Design & Print in Mt Eden.

“The ethnic population is increasing all the time and we must have a voice. My concern is that the ethnic candidates who get into Parliament do get to have a say in ethnic policies and are not merely there to make up the numbers.” This time round, because of the large number of highly ranked ethnic list candidates, we might see some of the old guard returning and with them some fresh faces like Chris Yang, who is No 2 on the Internet Mana’s Party List and Kenneth Wang, who is No 2 on

Act’s Party List, to name just a few. “What stands out to me is the lack of Asian candidates on the Green Party List and the complete absence of any Asian candidates in a winnable List Position,” observes Shawn Tan. “In my opinion this is rather disappointing, especially since the Green Party is NZ's third largest party and quite possibly a major player in postElection negotiations.”

Asoka Basnayake

It will be interesting to see how the Asian vote will affect the outcome of this election.

For more Election updates check out our website: www.asia2nz.co.nz. We welcome your feedback via email: asia2nz@xtra.co.nz

Continued from Pg 10

Priyanca Radhakrishnan

Kenneth Wang

Mahesh Bindra

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By MEL FERNANDEZ

AUCKLAND - Are five Asian MPs in Parliament enough, you may ask? Surely not when the 2013 Census found that almost a quarter of the New Zealand population are migrants. If we follow this train of thought then 30 out of the 120 MPs in Parliament ought to be migrant representatives. But this would lead us to beg the question of whether it's just a numbers game - the more migrant MPs the merrier. “I strongly believe in the slogan: 'Nothing about us without us.' And this should apply to Parliament too,” says Asoka Basnayake, a second term member of the Auckland Council's Ethnic People's Advisory Board. “I personally would like to see more migrants who are actively contributing at the national level and representing all parties. It would be wonderful to have a migrant as the Ethnic Affairs Minister one day.” Or should we forget the number of candidates required and take a closer look at the quality of the incumbents and challengers? At an election forum recently Dr Camille Nakhid, Chair of the Migrant Action Trust, urged those from migrant and refugee backgrounds to consider carefully the party and candidate to whom they give their vote. Ken Choe, a Malaysian businessman, feels that: “we should not vote along racial lines. For me that's not the right way to do it. Each individual should look at every party's policies and see whether that would suit their own individual circumstances and the whole economy.” Speaking to the New Zealand Herald recently,

Candidate quality and the numbers game Is it the more the merrier or is it time to take a closer look at the quality of the incumbents and challengers?

Steven Young, president of the NZ Chinese Association, said that many people see the ethnic MPs as "largely ornamental". "If they speak out at all it is to parrot the party line, but otherwise they seem to fear making a case for their notional constituency," Mr Young said. “Unfortunately, the public perception of Ethnic MPs being ineffective may have formed due to a lack of action of some of the Ethnic MPs in the past and this needs to change,” says Mahesh Bindra from Mumbai, India. “I, as a New Zealand First candidate, am not afraid to confront parliament head on with any issue that might

impact migrants.” As New Zealand is a multi ethnic society he feels that there is a need for ethnic MPs in Parliament. “A democracy is about a fair representation of all sections of the society. Ethnic candidates, being in touch with the on the ground realities of the issues faced by the ethnic communities, are better equipped to represent them.” Sri Lankan born Asoka Basnayake feels that political parties should be looking for more dynamic candidates. “Aspiring politicians need to be able to work with different ethnic groups and not just be able to represent their own ethnic group and parties

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shouldn't select people with a view of generating votes from the larger ethnic communities as they have been doing in the past. “It is definitely up to the few migrant MPs in Parliament to show that they are espousing the rights and causes of migrants,” says Asoka. “It is up to them to deliver, so that migrants don't feel that they are bench warmers.” Singaporean born lawyer, Shawn Tan, can empathize with the plight of our migrant MPs. “The impression that migrant MPs are 'bench-warmers' and are not doing enough to represent our migrant communities is a widespread one; although it is to an extent not entire-

ly fair on the MPs themselves. As it stands, a career in politics is not considered a very worthwhile, lucrative or meaningful one for migrants. “On the one hand, there is a lack of understanding about - and interest in New Zealand politics and political processes. On the other hand, there is a certain distrust of politicians and perhaps even a fear of playing the 'political game'. For these reasons - and more - many migrants shun or shy away from political participation. To an extent, therefore, there is a need for us to congratulate those who actually put themselves out there in the public eye and political arena.

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It can be an overwhelming and daunting task. “In 2008 I stood as a candidate for the ACT Party in the 2008 General Election. I was the candidate for the Mt. Roskill electorate and was ranked number 10 on the ACT Party List. I have experienced what it is like to engage in politics at a candidacy level. It involved plenty of personal sacrifice in terms of time, energy and commitment. It is certainly not for the faint-hearted or the thin-skinned.”

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By MEL FERNANDEZ

AUCKLAND - We tend to have a love-hate relationship with our Members of Parliament. In the case of the migrant MPs the pendulum seems to have swung towards a 'hate' relationship, if the opinion polls on our websites are to be believed: www.asia2nz. co.nz and www.filipino news.co.nz In our online survey 184 people were asked: Are our migrant MPs doing enough to represent migrant issues in Parliament? Over 80% of respondents said 'No'. When asked, “How do you rate our incumbent migrant MPs?” an Asian community board member in Auckland just snorted and threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. No comment then? When the Marriage Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament some migrant communities were dismayed that none of their MPs spoke up against the Bill. “As usual, ethnic list MPs had nothing to say,” noted a well known migrant service provider. “Back bench warmers. :/?x! the whole lot of them,” she added. “In my opinion the one migrant MP who contributed while she was on the opposition was Pansy Wong,” says Sri Lankan born Asoka Basnayake. “But I don't think she delivered much for the migrants or even for her own Chinese community after

How much do you love your MP?

“We need a diverse group of candidates, so as to promote diversity of thought, leadership, experience and knowledge in Parliament. Priyanka Radhakrishnan, Policy analyst

her party was ruling the country. “The political awakening of the Asian population may have a lot to do with the incumbent MPs,” observes Ken Choe, a Malaysian businessman. “Even in previous elections Asians have had a high profile, for example Melissa Lee and Pansy Wong. And I think they got a lot of people in the Asian community interested in voting. “This year I am not too sure what the response to voting will be. But I would suggest that a lot of Asians have awoken to the fact that they need to exercise their right to vote. As they say, if you don't vote you have no

right to complain.“ “Historically there have been a smaller number of Asians participating in the election,” says Zahra Atai, an Asian university student. “I believe that if you were to engage the community and get everybody to vote then you would probably have a significant difference in who gets voted in. “Lack of knowledge of the political system could be part of it,” speculates Zahra, who was born in Afghanistan. “Many Asians are not familiar with the political system here. They don't really understand what the MMP system stands for. But I also think that as immigrants their pri-

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orities are different to the rest of the community. What they are focusing on is their children, their families, their work and their employment, but the election sort of comes last.” Policy analyst Priyanka Radhakrishnan would like to see greater diversity in Parliament. This highranking Labour List candidate says: “We need a diverse group of candidates, so as to promote diversity of thought, leadership, experience and knowledge in Parliament. I do not believe in tokenism, or having candidates from a specific ethnicity simply because we feel the need to tick a box.

“However, we need candidates who identify as ethnic minority candidates for a number of reasons. Firstly, I believe that our identities shape our politics. We all have different experiences, values and skills that are largely shaped because of who we are. This diversity of thought and experience will enrich Parliament and political decision making in New Zealand. “Secondly, the population of ethnic minority people in New Zealand is growing rapidly and I do believe that we deserve proper representation. There are issues that we face that are specific to us

as ethnic minority communities and these issues must be taken seriously at the highest decision making levels. “Thirdly, it is potentially a little easier for me as a migrant myself to relate to the concerns of other migrants. I am not saying that I know exactly what the migrant experience is, for there are many. I am just saying that is potentially easier for me to relate to those concerns, having gone through a similar experience myself. So we need ethnic candidates who can understand and advocate on behalf of various groups within our ethnic minority communities. “Finally, we all need role models. It is important to have men and women from ethnic minority communities in Parliament so that other aspiring politicians from our communities know that it is possible.”

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Page 14

By LOUIE ENCABO

One of the ugliest parts of the election season is seeing the inevitable vandalism that hounds campaign hoardings for the different candidates. From John Key being painted with a Hitler mustache to Colin Craig being drawn as Count Dracula and the irresistible urge to add the letter 'T' to David Cunliffe's last name - we have all seen these predictable, immature jokes put on campaign signs. I would call it vandalism, but others prefer to call it democracy in action - people are unsatisfied with how things are and this is their outcry for 'change', whatever that means. This round of elections' vandals, however, have taken democracy a bit too far, I would argue. We have heard news of hoardings being burnt down, obscenities being drawn on them and some vandals giving us a glimpse of people's racism. In another part of the world these features are nothing new. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party capitalized on Germany's dislike for its Jewish community and won on a platform of depicting the Jews as money hoarding, country wrecking sewer rats. (Literally, the Jews were drawn with exaggerated long noses in the fashion of rats.) But this is New Zealand the country that prides itself on being among the most

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Democracy or Hooliganism? Vandalism on Campaign Hoardings It is also bizarre that not a lot of reactions have been drawn from across Parliament, as those who protested belonged to the party victimized by these vandals. Keeping mum on this issue is arguably as good as a discreet approval of the actions of these hooligans. progressive nations on earth. The country where the friendliest city in the world can be found. If there was a country in the world today that is closest to being egalitarian then it would be New Zealand. Which is why seeing this entirely new level of mischief was appalling. This blog is not the first to notice such a trend happening; other writers have noticed it too. (Read this, this and this.) It's hard not to; one such case even bordered on arson. Just a few days ago firefighters had to put out a blaze in front of the house of Conservative Party candidate Steve Taylor. Arsonists had set alight a campaign hoarding attached to a trailer in front of his house and if not for an alarmed neighbor's frantic call to emergency services the blaze might have caught on to Mr. Taylor's house,

which was only a few feet away. Down south in Palmerston North party campaigners are being frustrated by the costs the vandals of their hoardings are inflicting on their campaign funds. In the first few

weeks they put up over 100 National Party hoardings and all were defaced or destroyed. Palmerston North National Party stalwart and former candidate Malcolm Plimmer remarked that, “the hoarding damage this year was greater

than I have seen in my 47 years of political campaigns”. In Dunedin North another National Party campaign hoarding with John Key and candidate Michael Woodhouse's images on them were contorted to show Key having devilish horns on his head and the words 'casual fascists' were tagged across the board. And in another burning incident, in Hamilton a National Party hoarding depicting the images of John Key and candidate Tim MacIndoe was set alight by arsonists. As it stands, harsh penalties await those who are caught vandalizing. Sadly, there have been no reports of the perpetrators being caught or receiving so much as a fine for the troubles they have caused. It is also bizarre that not a lot of reactions have been drawn from across Parliament, as those who protested belonged to the party victimized by these vandals. Keeping mum on this issue is arguably as good as a discreet approval of the actions of these hooligans. To make matters worse, an influential supporter of the Green Party and True Blood actor Stephen Moyer publicly expressed his satisfaction at seeing a National Party hoarding vandalized. Moyer posted photos of the said vandals on a social media account and accompanied it with the caption: “One of the great joys of driving down

The Asian vote can decide the election ACT has put up some billboards in Chinese. We are the first party to do so, but I predict that next election many parties will follow our lead. This because Asian New Zealanders have the ability to decide the election. It is how MMP works. By Hon Richard Prebble ACT Campaign Director

Asian New Zealanders have the power to block Winston Peters from ever being in government. Indeed, Asian New Zealanders have the votes to determine the next government. ACT has put up some billboards in Chinese. We are the first party to do so, but I predict that next election many parties will follow our lead. This because Asian New Zealanders

have the ability to decide the election. It is how MMP works. Voting is a simple matter of maths. There are now around 160,000 Asian voters on the electoral roll. As many Asian New Zealanders will vote as Maori on the seven Maori seats. Asians, if they use their two MMP votes in a smart way, can also elect seven MPs. Of course I would not recommend it if I did not think Dr Jamie Whyte is one of the best qualified

candidates to ever stand for parliament. You have to be very smart to get a first class degree in philosophy from Cambridge. International consultancy firms snap up philosophy graduates because they have been trained to think. Someone who can really think would be an advantage in parliament. Even on the worst polls Jamie Whyte is very close to being elected. On the best poll ACT is on 1.2%, which means your vote

might elect him. Parties get Party list MPs two ways; either by getting the 5% threshold or by winning an electorate seat. As John Key says and he is an Epsom voter so he should know, ACT's David Seymour is going to win Epsom. This means that all Party Votes for Act count. On the worst polls Jamie Whyte only needs another 5000 votes to be elected. This is because ACT only needs 1.3% to elect him. ACT's next candidate,

Kenneth Wang, needs another 16,000 votes and he is re-elected. Last election it took 63,000 votes to elect National's last list MP, Aaron Gilmour and in retrospect National would have much rather had an ACT MP. Why the difference? Do not blame me; I did not vote for MMP. Under MMP the seats in parliament are proportionate to the Party Vote received. This means that the electorates a party wins

to Wellington town every day is seeing how the National Party posters have been defaced.” And the Green Party, whose campaign slogan reads: “Love New Zealand”, has not issued a criticism of the actor's careless and insensitive remarks. Reading comments on websites that feature pictures of these vandals I get the impression that people are passive towards these actions. They view it as an act of democracy; a sign of people's discontent with the current government. But let's remember, democracy also guarantees our right to stand for office and contest elections. These campaign hoardings are vital parts of a candidate's right to have a fair chance at winning an election. Defacing these hoardings essentially deprives them of their democratic rights and in turn it is these arsonists and hooligans who fancy themselves to be the democratic freedom fighters - who are putting a stain on New Zealand democracy in the process. So enough with all these shenanigans. If you can't stand a particular party then the best smear job you could legally inflict on them is to go out and vote for their rival parties.

are deducted from the number of list MPs awarded to a party. National win a lot of electorates and so lose a lot of list MPs. The smartest way to game MMP would be to have one party that stood just for the electorates and another party that stood only for the Party vote. Voting smart matters. If John Banks had not won Epsom last election then Phil Goff would be Prime Minister. If National's Paul Goldsmith had won the electorate then National would have lost one list MP, so no net gain.

Continues to Pg 17

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The brilliant comedian Bill Maher described the internet this way, “all it exists to do is point at the latest person that said the wrong thing so the rest of us can feel morally superior”. He then hits the punchline, saying that this is not: “what the internet is for; that's what college is for!” A piece of comedic genius, but at the same time tragically true. Over the years as internet use becomes more widespread there is this hope that we are on the brink of a new era of innovation - a second Enlightenment if you may; a time for revolutionary ideas to emerge. A time when the level of debate is raised higher. To some extent this has come true. Technological and medical breakthroughs have been made thanks to a faster way of sharing information and a more comprehensive way of doing research. From another perspective, however, the internet has also held back intellectual discourse. Along with all the convenience it offers the internet is also a dimension where your every thought is scrutinized to a point that any insinuation you make can somehow be turned into an offensive statement to any group of people - and then you are forced to retract that statement and made to apologize. It's kind of like the Miranda rights: “anything you say or do can be used against you.” You need to carefully edit your thoughts and cherrypick the words you use to express them; never mind the content of your argument or the logic of it worry about the political, historical, cultural, religious and sexual implications your words might make. They need to pass a certain standard of acceptability. This culture of political correctness has taken noteworthy casualties recently. The CEO of Mozilla was forced to resign for making statements against marriage equality, the pundit Paul Henry lost his job for cracking a joke at an Indian diplomat and the intellect Ayaan Hirsi-Ali's college graduation address was scrapped because she criticized Islam.

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Why I Resent Political Correctness:

A Response to Verity Johnson The problem with political correctness is that it restricts thought; it stifles discussion and prevents daring, revolutionary ideas from emerging. It tells us to accept the norm and not challenge tradition or comment on issues no one else dares to comment on. In the latest case of political correctness New Zealand First's leader Winston Peters was heavily criticized for saying “two Wongs don't make a white” - a statement many felt was racist towards the country's Kiwi-Chinese population. Yet Peters did not intend to quarrel with the country's Chinese or general Asian population - he simply cracked a satirical joke addressing the sale of New Zealand domains to foreign corporations, most of which were from China. Yet critics were still not impressed, with the country's Race Relations Commissioner (yes, this job title exists) calling it “outdated rhetoric” and that it “belonged in New Zealand's past”. In following the online outrage over Winston Peters' remarks I stumbled across a finely written opinion article on the New New Zealand First's leader Winston Peters

Zealand Herald website by a young writer named Verity Johnson. The piece was critical of Mr. Peters' remark and defended the practice of being politically correct - likening it to standing up for the oppressed person. I found this argument rather ironic; there are two factors in this equation: the subject of the remarks and the one making those remarks. The latter is the one being forced to retract their statements and apologize and yet it's the former who is being oppressed? Ms. Johnson then went on to argue for egalitarianism; how this is an inherent Kiwi trait and hence we need to maintain this level of political correctness to make sure that Kiwis of all ethnic backgrounds are not being put down. I strongly believe in egalitarianism as well; how can anyone not agree that every

person should be treated as an equal? As human beings we are all endowed with inalienable rights; among them is the freedom of speech. Which is why I stand up to this culture of political correctness because I cling on to this crazy idea that everyone should be able to exercise this freedom and be able to say what they want without being shamed for it. On the issue of being alienated I disagree as well. Being an Asian-New Zealander migrant myself it can be a challenge sometimes to fit in, but I also realize that Kiwi humour is a unique brand we don't see anywhere else - to be able to embrace that and live with it is part of the assimilation. I've also noticed that proponents of PC often equate being anti-PC to being proslander; there is obviously a distinction between the two. One is the purposeful use of hostile words against another which targets any part of their identity with the aim to harass. Political correctness is when one's remarks are being taken out of context and rephrased in a manner which would then be offensive - even in the slightest - to a person's identity. The problem with political correctness is that it restricts thought; it stifles discussion and prevents daring, revolutionary ideas from emerging. It tells us to accept the norm and not challenge tradition or comment on issues no one else dares to comment on. Could you imagine what today would be like if Rosa Parks did not make that politically incorrect decision to sit in the front of a public bus when the status quo mandated that people of color like her should take the back seat? What if Max Robespierre did not stand up to the Roman Church and dare to question reli-

gious authority, fearing that it might offend religious sentiments; would we have democracy as we know it today? You can't always hold back your thoughts over fears that they may somehow offend someone in the world, because the truth is that people get so worked up over anything these days that even the Teletubbies was found to be controversial. Always editing your thoughts and keeping mum on issues that may be offensive are just anti-intellectual and are no different from a gag order.

As the late actor Charlton Heston once said, “political correctness is merely tyranny with manners”. In saying all this, I do sympathize with New Zealanders of Asian descent who may have taken offense at Mr. Peters' joke - it's true that it was insensitive, but we also have the ability to ignore his statements. If we find Mr. Peters to be racist or ignorant for making that statement then so be it; we have the liberty to form our own opinions of him as well. But this does

not mean that he should lose his seat in Parliament or be forced to apologize; as ignorant as Mr. Peters is this is a man who has done remarkably well at representing the interests of many New Zealanders in government for several decades. Behind those insensitive and careless remarks is Peters' objection to the sale of New Zealand land to foreign buyers; a sentiment he shares with 67% of New Zealanders according to referendum results. To shun Mr. Peters for speaking his mind would be to shun the great majority of Kiwi opinion - and that can't be democratic. So to answer Verity Johnson, no I am not PC and proud. In fact, I resent political correctness. It is a tool which suppresses intelligent discourse from taking place and something that should not exist in a pure democracy.

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By LOUIE ENCABO

Strolling along the Pakuranga Night Market amidst the throngs of busy shoppers and the panoply of stalls I met an aspiring politician who was campaigning to win a seat in Parliament. “Hello, my friend,” he started. “My name is Tofik; how are you doing tonight?” Tofik Mamedov is the Labour Party's candidate to contest the Botany electorate, hoping to prise away the vital seat currently held by National's Jamie-Lee Ross. Mamedov faces a daunting task, but he has always faced incredible odds ever since migrating to New Zealand from his native Baku, Azerbaijan at the age of sixteen. During our brief conversation that Saturday night at the Night Markets Tofik told me of his humble beginnings. “I arrived in New Zealand almost twenty years ago, in 1995. My parents separated and my mom migrated here during the 80s; for a while I lived with my grandmother on my dad's side.” “When I was sixteen my dad decided to send my sister and I to New Zealand to live with my mom to have a

Continued from Pg 15

ACT winning Epsom was an extra seat for the centre/right and gave National together with ACT an absolute majority in parliament. The ACT Party wants bigger tax cuts, less regulation, more personal responsibility and an end to race base laws. These are all policies widely supported by the Asian community. ACT's tough stand on crime is also widely supported. But ACT's best claim to your vote is the fact that ACT party has been able, with National, to provide stable centre/right government. No other minority party can make this claim. Tactical voting may

Kiwi-Asian sets his sights on a seat in Parliament Tofik Mamedov is the Labour Party's candidate to contest the Botany electorate, hoping to prise away the vital seat currently held by National's Jamie-Lee Ross. better shot at life.” He adds. And so goes the story of how a boy halfway across the world came to the land of the long, white cloud and became a successful entrepreneur and a potential Member of Parliament. The road to success for Tofik was not one without impediments though; sacrifices were made and a rigorous work ethic had to be adopted. “When I first arrived here (in New Zealand) I did not know English; I only knew the word 'yes'.” Explains Tofik. “I attended night classes to learn English as well as practicing it in my workplace; basically I applied English wherever I could to improve my knowledge of it and to better my life here.” Tofik first found employment with fast food chain McDonald's, working sixty-hour shifts every week minimum. Despite the long work hours and being paid at the minimum wage rate Tofik still dreamt of opening up his own restaurant someday and being his own boss.

That day came five years later. Thanks to his ability to save money Tofik was able to set up his own café in the Auckland Viaduct. “After five years I became confident and had the courage to apply the skills and knowledge I took from working at McDonald's into setting up my own business.” He says. He sold the business after one year, however, and for all the right reasons. “I was optimistic when New Zealand competed in the America's Cup here in Auckland and there was a huge market, but when they lost I knew that business in the Viaduct would not do so well, so I decided to sell (my café).” Tofik is either psychic or simply a man with good instincts, as his prediction came true right after he sold his business. With the capital he had Tofik entered into the property management business, setting up yet another business. Just when the global financial crisis was about to happen in 2008 Tofik made the decision to sell his business again.

He then entered the banking and insurance industry, where he still plies his trade today. Not bad for someone who got his starting capital saving a minimum wage salary working at McDonald's. “Determination and willpower,” it's those two virtues which Tofik credits for the success he has achieved as a migrant. But Tofik also recognizes that government plays a crucial role. “I believe everyone should have the rights and the tools so they can build a better future for themselves. It is the government's job to provide these tools to the people.“ This is his reason for joining politics. “I want to be part of that. I aim to be a politician that does his part to provide the tools to the people that need them the most.” And what exactly are these tools he plans to offer if elected into office? Drawing from his experience managing a few small businesses Tofik says that: “a Rock Star Economy always starts from the bottom up, not the other way

The Asian vote can decide the election Asian voters have a lot at stake in this election. Labour never complained when Americans purchased farms, only when Asians wanted to buy a farm. Australians have been buying houses in Auckland for years. Only when Asian parents started buying apartments for their children studying at Auckland University did Labour and the Greens object. determine the election. This election the left is tactically voting. Hone Harawira holding his seat will bring in three Internet/Mana MPs, Lialla Harre, Annette Sykes and John Minto. For once the left are being electorally smarter than the right. Asian voters have a lot at stake in this election.

Labour never complained when Americans purchased farms, only when Asians wanted to buy a farm. Australians have been buying houses in Auckland for years. Only when Asian parents started buying apartments for their children studying at Auckland University did Labour and the Greens object.

The most recent polls indicate that Mr Peters may hold the balance of power. Mr Peters has made his whole career out of attacking Asian New Zealanders. If politicians believe that the way to be elected is to attack Asians then we will see more of these racist attacks. ACT has always opposed Winston Peters. Only the ACT Party has said that we will not go into government with New Zealand First. If ACT gets a good vote and Asian New Zealanders can deliver this then it will send a message that race attacks do not work. Just one Asian vote in five elects both Jamie Whyte and Kenneth

Tofik Mamedov

around. The more money people make the more they spend.” He plans to influence the debate in Parliament for a living wage. At a local level, as MP for Botany his key platform will be to improve transport and to set up community centres to assist new migrants and help them to assimilate better into New Zealand society. “Transport will be my number one priority. I will be getting involved on a local government level as well as bringing the discussion in at central government level and I also want to see the private sectors involved too.” He explains. “Botany has been neglected for many years. It is

Wang and re-elects John Key as Prime Minister. Epsom voters selected the last government and the voters in Epsom can do it again. There are around five thousand Asian voters in Epsom and their vote is vital. Epsom has always been ACT's stronghold. Before ACT took the seat Epsom voters gave ACT so many Party votes that the electorate on its own elected an ACT list MP. It is the drop in the Epsom voters double ticking ACT that is one of the reasons why ACT's Party vote has declined. So tell everyone you know in Epsom to save us again from the left and double tick ACT. In the rest of the country, remember, a Party vote for ACT is worth

time now to do something about it; we cannot wait till 2025. We need to start now!” Tofik boldly adds. On the platform of community centres Tofik draws from his experience of being a migrant himself who was not fluent in English. “I am happy to say that the Labour Party will bring the Adult Education Programme back. This sets up community centres for migrants to learn about New Zealand and to gain proficiency in the English language and in the end live a good life and have a good shot at succeeding here in New Zealand.” The composed nature he had while discussing his platform as well as the charming and down-toearth manner he presented himself with got me hooked. Tofik Mamedov is relevant to me as another Kiwi-Asian and a migrant myself. This man understands the issues and has a clear, cohesive plant to address those issues. Sadly, my residence does not fall under the Botany electorate, otherwise I would be more than inclined to throw my support behind Tofik Mamedov for Botany MP.

four Party votes for National. You deciding to Party tick ACT may be the vote Jamie Whyte needs to be elected. Jamie Whyte and Kenneth Wang will be the votes in parliament John Key needs to be free of Winston Peters and give us three more years of stable centre/right government.

Page 18

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By AMANDEEP KAUR

HAMILTON - There is an increase in the number of international students enrolled in higher level programmes and in particular, postgraduate level qualifications, according to the International Education Snapshot 2013 full year report. While there was a net decline of 1,811 international students - there was a net increase of 1.3% (approximately $9.5 million) in tuition fee income from full fee paying students. This was driven by an increase in the number of international students enrolled in higher level programmes and in particular, postgraduate level qualifications. The postgraduate increase has been driven by growth in PhD and Masters level enrolments, growing 51% and 41% respectively when compared to 2009.

Post-grad student enrolment saves the day. Whilst foreign student numbers take a dip, post-grad enrolment boosts tuition fee revenue Masters level enrolments are expected to grow in 2014 with the recent release of Taught Masters 2014 programmes. These programmes have had high enrolment numbers globally, with New Zealand providers also experiencing strong interest.

“Education New Zealand has made a significant investment and this investment is reflected in the increasing awareness of New Zealand education - our brand awareness is trending up in China and India and preference for New Zealand as a study destination is level

with Australia. We're starting to get noticed, although we're still well behind the UK and USA,” says ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson. Connor Brady, Director, New Life Global & licensed Immigration Adviser, says that there has been a consis-

tent trend of international students focusing on quality higher education in New Zealand. “A New Zealand Government scheme for international PhD students enables the University to offer new international PhD students the same annual tuition fee as New Zealand

PhD students. An international PhD student has unlimited work rights and dependent children are classified as domestic students and can attend New Zealand's free public primary and secondary schools,” adds Connor. Nikita Bhalla, a postgraduate International student says, “New Zealand is a top performing country in terms of the quality of its educational system. New Zealand's universities offer numerous opportunities for research and internships where students can build practical skills needed in their future careers and academic lives.” Overall, there were 97,283 international students enrolled at New Zealand education providers in 2013 - 1.8 per cent less than in 2012.

Page 19

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Stephen Fleming flies the NZ education flag in India By AMANDEEP KAUR

MUMBAI - Education New Zealand (ENZ) partnered with Stephen Fleming in India to raise awareness of New Zealand as a study destination. Taking advantage of the former Black Caps captain's massive profile in India, ENZ organised several awareness raising events fronted by Stephen to encourage Indian students to come to New Zealand. “Stephen has legendary status in India, with the country's love of cricket and Stephen's own connections through the Indian Premier League where he is coach of the Chennai Super Kings,” said Ziena Jalil, ENZ Regional Director for South and South East Asia. “He is a very well known and highly regarded personality and working with him to convey New Zealand's education story has enabled us to reach a volume and

“Stephen has legendary status in India, with the country's love of cricket and Stephen's own connections through the Indian Premier League where he is coach of the Chennai Super Kings,” said Ziena Jalil, ENZ Regional Director for South and South East Asia.

quality of audience that might not have been as read-

ily accessible otherwise. As a passionate advocate for

quality education with a strong belief in the New

Zealand education system Stephen does a great job at exciting students, teachers and parents about what we have to offer.” Stephen was at all three ENZ fairs in India in late August to interact with students and answer questions about studying in New Zealand. School and tertiary education institution visits in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and New Delhi attracted more than a thousand potential students. According to Ziena, ENZ also secured a huge volume of quality media coverage as a result of Stephen's promotional activities - one media briefing drew more than 50 journalists, including several TV channels. An online campaign challenged students who were already thinking about study abroad options to take the

next step and actively consider New Zealand as a study destination. Visitors who registered their interest in studying in New Zealand on the ENZ campaign website were contacted by an education agent who provided them with more information about the courses, the criteria and provided support with the application process. By expressing interest prospective students were automatically in to win an exclusive dinner date with Stephen Fleming. The lucky winners enjoyed a once in a lifetime experience with the cricketer, who is regarded in India as one of the best captains the Black Caps have ever had. While this campaign in India is over New Zealand's co-hosting the 2015 Cricket World Cup also offers additional opportunities in India from an education perspective. Photo and story courtesy of Education New Zealand.

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Page 21

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Pricey passport? By MEL FERNANDEZ

WELLINGTON Previously those lucky enough to get a New Zealand passport would have been pleased that it had a validity 10 years. In the wake of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States the Government decided to switch to a five year regime for passports, primarily as a security measure. In 2005 when the new passports changed to include biometric facial recognition technology there was a much lower risk of passport fraud. Unfortunately for frequent flyers, besides decreasing the validity of the passport the Government also doubled the application fee to $140 for a first time passport or $134.50 for a replacement. “This resulted in an effective increase of 400 percent to the cost of passports for the New Zealand travelling public,” says Kyle Lockwood, who submitted a Petition to Parliament to reintroduce 10 year passports. Two hundred minutes of New Zealand are to feature in China's most popular reality show. Two hundred minutes of New Zealand's landscapes, people and activities are likely to reach millions of Chinese viewers after the country played host to China's most popular reality TV show. The show 'Dad, where are we going?' has spent the past week filming in the central North Island. New Zealand is the only international destination to feature in the hugely popular show, now in its second season. Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand worked together to secure the sought after opportunity, competing against other international destinations for the show and the coveted profile it will provide. New Zealand will play a starring role in the last two episodes of season two, which means featuring in the all important season finale. The show follows five celebrity fathers and their children (aged from 3 - 7) on an adventure to mystery destinations. In New Zealand the celebrities will experi-

The current five year validity regime of the NZ Passport is considered unrealistic and it costs too much. So the 10 year passport may be back, but at a price? Earlier this month Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne announced a review of the passport validity period, including an independent review of passport security and a review of passport costs with a view to returning to 10 year passports. “This is great news for New Zealand taxpayers, who currently pay more for the right to travel than anyone else in the world,” says Jordan Williams, Executive Director of the Taxpayers' Union. “The announcement from the Minister reflects common sense. Earlier in the year the Taxpayers' Union helped lead a campaign calling for an extension to the validity period and for a significant reduction in the price of New Zealand passports. It now looks like we are close to mission accomplished.” In a briefing paper Jordan McCluskey of the New

Zealand Taxpayers' Union suggests that Kiwis pay more than other countries for a passport and for a shorter period. "Even if we had ten year passports, at current prices New Zealanders would still be paying more than citizens in most countries with whom we traditionally compare ourselves," he says. “The per year cost of a New Zealand passport is more than any other country examined. The Government is sitting on a whopping surplus of $20.8 million because of excessive passport charges.” “The research suggests that the current regime isn't about security; it's about raising money for the Government,” says Jordan Williams. Minister Dunne responded: “I have also asked the Department of Internal Affairs to review passport costs. Our world-class and highly secure passport sys-

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne

tem is funded purely on a cost recovery basis, meaning that only those who need passports pay for the service. “Moving to a 10 year passport could lead to higher upfront passport fees as revenue would decline from processing passports on a less frequent basis.” “In fact, the New Zealand passport can only be used for four years and six months outside of Australia and the Pacific Islands,” notes Rt Hon Winston Peters, leader of the NZ First Party. “New Zealand First fully supports 10 year passports. There is no good reason to delay the return to 10 year passports. “We agree that adult passports could offer additional pages for added cost and that

child passports should remain at five years, with the subsidy until they reach the age of 16 years.” Labour Leader David Cunliffe agrees as well. "Labour has listened to frustrated Kiwis who are forced to renew their passports every five years and will introduce a 10 year system. “The US, Australia, Canada and the European Union now issue their citizens with 10 year passports. “There is no reason for New Zealanders, who are amongst the world's most frequent travellers, to be different. “Labour will continue to limit passport life to five years for people under 15, because their features

Top Chinese reality show spotlights NZ ‘Dad, where are we going?’ - season two promotional poster

ence local culture and accomplish a series of 'missions' with and against each other. Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler says that it was a major coup for New Zealand to secure the broadcast and the magnitude of the opportunity is hard to put into words. “Season one of the show attracted one of the biggest nationwide audiences in China ever. It is estimated that around a quarter of the population have watched it. “The first 12 episodes of season two have already

gone to air and have received No. 1 ratings and impressive audience numbers, along with a giant social media influence more than 14 billion social media comments have included the show's hashtag. “There is no doubt that by featuring in the show New Zealand will become one of the most talked about international visitor destinations of the year. Our work in the market targets both the independent and quality group travellers and the show aligns well with this, showcasing the diversity of experiences in a New Zealand

holiday where no two days are the same.” The celebrity fathers include two of the most popular and famous actors in China Huang Lei and Lu Yi, a famous gymnast and Olympic champion Yang Wei, a singer-songwriter based in Taiwan Gary Cao and a famous Hong Kong actor Francis Ng. Two other celebrity guests will be joining the fathers, Huang Bo and Tong Dawei. A post by one of the Dads on Weibo, China's most used social media channel, announcing that he and his daughter were going to New

Zealand has generated close to 100,000 likes and over 26,000 comments. Air New Zealand Head of Global Brand Development Jodi Williams says that the reach of coverage via both the show and social media channels is truly money can't buy. “We know that the endorsement of others is one of the most influential factors in helping people to make travel decisions and when this comes from celebrities the impact is even stronger. “With our brand new 7879 Dreamliner aircraft set to operate between Shanghai and Auckland from later this year visitors from China can enjoy a state of the art inflight experience, including our award-winning Economy Skycouch product. “The number of Chinese travelling internationally is set to grow exponentially and we in New Zealand have a truly world class offering, but it's important to continue to work together to find creative ways to ensure that

change a lot in younger years. “There will be no initial extra cost to the taxpayer or on applications resulting from this change because fees are ring-fenced and are not used for general government revenue purposes. However, passport fees would need to be reviewed in 2019. “This change will make overseas travel cheaper and easier for everyday hard working Kiwis,” David Cunliffe says. The Green Party is also in favour of reinstating ten year passports for New Zea-landers aged over 16 years,” says Holly Donald, Advisor, Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.

New Zealand is at the front of their minds for these travellers.” Each episode is 100 minutes long, with the first going to air on 26 September and the season finale airing 3 October. The New Zealand regions visited during filming will be revealed when the episodes go to air. It is not the first time Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand have worked together to leverage their association with an Alist Chinese celebrity. In 2012, Yao Chen, one of China's most high profile celebrities and Tourism New Zealand's then brand ambassador in China, chose to wed in Queenstown. Her posting of holiday and wedding photos via social media channels resulted in around 7,000 print and online media articles across China highlighting New Zealand as a wedding destination. Discussion on Weibo topped forty million items. China is New Zealand's second largest visitor market with 243,472 arrivals for the year ended July 2014.

www.filipinonews.co.nz

F I L I P I N O N E W S 2014

Page 22

By AMANDEEP KAUR

AUCKLAND - Having established working tie-ups with Central City, Onehunga and Ponsonby libraries in Auckland New Zealand's first 3D-oriented Hobby Club is now fast progressing towards its goal of developing working relationships with all the country's universities, colleges, schools and other educational and technological institutions. This Auckland based Hobby Club has come up with a unique idea of throwing its membership open to all innovative minds to allow them the access to 3D technologies and equipment, including their high definition printer, to themselves design their innovations and models. The club also imparts professional training to its members to make them skillful for optimum utilization of 3D technologies and equipment. An IT graduate and migrant from China - Tony Zhou, with a highly professional and innovative bent of mind, has started this Hobby Club to revolutionize the use of 3D technologies in NZ. Tony operated a barcode printing business in China from 2004 to 2012 and is very well versed in 3D printing as well. “In 2007, many 3D companies settled down in my hometown, Wuxi, with government support. I was also inspired to have my own 3D printing business and the idea of opening such a business is to bring 3D technology into people's daily lives," says Tony. The 3D Hobby club team is already on a mission to extensively hold display and training workshops of their Hobby Club. The Club not

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3D Hobby Club on a mission to revolutionize 3D technologies in NZ The 3D Hobby club team is already on a mission to extensively hold display and training workshops of their Hobby Club.

BIZ

tools as well as ample space to comfortably work on projects both individually and collectively. The club has also prepared its website http://3dhobby. co.nz/ for the perusal of students, professionals, digital designers and entrepreneurs. The Hobby Club management has pledged to spend at least 8% of their annual sales

Tony Zhou (left) with Emme Lee

income on technology upgrades and on improving infrastructure and facilities for the club members. Emme Lee, Marketing Manager, 3D Hobby Club says, “This is definitely a fantastic idea to allow everyone to get access to advanced technology."

only imparts training classes, but also encourages its trained members to hold incentives such as training

classes to pursue the goal of spreading the utilization of 3D technologies throughout the length and breadth of the

country. Each member of the Hobby Club is allowed access to high-end comput-

Indian star’s pet project Solving the dog and cat overpopulation crisis BOLLYWOOD Amidst the box-office success of her recent film Highway, Bollywood star Alia Bhatt is showing her many fans that we can all be angels for animals simply by opening our hearts and homes to a cat or dog in need. It didn't take much to turn the Student of the Year star and Lions Gold 2013 Favorite Female Debut award winner into the purr-

fect angel: Alia earned her wings by adopting - not buying - her feline friend. Her gorgeous new ad was shot by Pavitr Saith Photography, with hair and make-up by Susan Emmanuel and Raju Jadhav. Tyson, the cat being held by Alia, was rescued by the group Welfare of Stray Dogs. All animals deserve a safe and loving home. But, as Alia knows, breeders and

pet shops worsen the dog and cat overpopulation crisis; every new puppy or kitten means one fewer home for animals on the streets or in shelters. Dogs and cats living on the streets can fall prey to cruel people and are at risk of starving, being hit by cars or suffering from untreated diseases or injuries. By adopting her feline friend Alia made room for other animals to find their angels too.

A l i a explains that animals on the streets are “not safe”. She says: “I am an animal lover myself and my message to my fans would just be that if you love me then please love animals even more.”

ers with a range of relevant software, machines like 3D printers and engraving machines and professional

Page 24

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Waitakere Ethnic Board condemns family violence HENDERSON, Auckland - The Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) spoke out on yet another domestic violence incident in ethnic communities. In a strongly worded statement President Kudakwashe Tuwe said that WEB condemns, “such evil acts and behaviour towards our mothers, wives, daughters and sisters”. He said that on 19th May of this year WEB was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Farhat Rana Malik and Sidra Malik, a Pakistani mother and daughter. The pair died in their family home in Ranui. Rana's ex-husband is in police custody charged with their murder. “Rana was a member of WEB since its inception in 2000,” Tuwe added.

AUCKLAND - In the wake of the Oscar Pistorius trial it is vital for the public to understand some facts about domestic abuse, says Shine, an organisation that's working to make New Zealand homes violence free. “Domestic abuse cuts across demographics and cultures. It happens to and is perpetrated by the rich and poor and in every country and ethnic group. “Controlling and jealous behaviour is a classic sign of abuse. There were reports of Pistorius showing possessive and jealous behaviour towards Reeva Steenkamp. The fact that he was also charming and loving to her does not negate the probabil-

Former WEB President Rev. Amail Habib said that Rana was actively involved in a number of volunteer organisations and was very popular within the communities she was involved with. “She was a very talented individual, who was an ideal example of a woman who strived to excel in both her family life as well as her career life. She was a devout Muslim lady with a positive attitude towards life which gave her the strength to face her personal challenges on a daily basis,” Rev. Habib said. A family friend and another former President of WEB, Anne Pala, who knew the family for over a decade, was saddened and said that individuals need to speak out and seek help, especially regarding cul-

'Culture No Excuse for Abuse' booklet By AMANDEEP KAUR

Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) President Kudakwashe Tuwe

turally sanctioned abuse and violence in ethnic communities. “The onus lies on us that we as a community could not prevent this tragedy from taking place. This tragedy will resonate with us for a long time …” said anti- violence campaigner Pala.

AUCKLAND - Although it is important for communities and families to nurture their own cultural identities, it is not acceptable to use culture as an excuse for violence within families, says the 'Culture No Excuse for Abuse' booklet produced by Auckland's Shakti Community Council. The book was produced with help from the Ministry of Social Development for the 'It's Not OK' family violence prevention campaign. “This fantastic new resource is aimed at encouraging conversations within ethnic families and communities on how to recognise

2007. Its goal is to change attitudes and behaviour that tolerate any kind of family family violence. violence In 2010 a new in its Social Development Minister message 'It is OK Paula Bennett m a n y to Help' was added different in response to conforms and what to do about sistent feedback that people it,” says Social want to help in family vioDevelopment Minister, lence situations, but are not Paula Bennett. sure what to do. “With more than 87,000 Since the campaign family violence investiga- launched more New tions affecting 100,000 chil- Zealanders are seeking help dren a year, New Zealanders and more people believe that of all ethnicities need to take they can help others to action and commit to keep- change. ing their loved ones safe and free from violence. - Shakti’s 24 hour crisis The Social Development line is: 0800SHAKTI Ministry's 'It's not OK' campaign is a community driven effort to reduce family violence in New Zealand, launched on September

Oscar Pistorius trial highlights issue of domestic abuse One NZ child is killed by a family member every five weeks. 1 in 3 NZ women will be physically or sexually abused in their lifetime. ity of abuse in the relationship as in most abusive relationships the perpetrator has 'Jekyll and Hyde' behaviour. Perpetrators will often keep the violence private so that the public and even close friends and family will often believe that he is nothing but charming. “While violence is a very effective way to control someone's behaviour within a relationshi, victims often

report that in the long term psychological abuse is more damaging and harder to recover from. “While any level of domestic abuse is unacceptable, when abuse is suspected, friends, family and others around the couple should be on the lookout for signs that the victim is in great danger of being killed. Two of these signs that are relevant to Pistorius are:

a) Use of firearms, especially when the perpetrator has training and experience in using them. b) History of violence, especially public violence, as this may mean the perpetrator is not deterred by the risk of arrest and also domestic violence, as past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. A South African Police spokesperson said that there

had previous domestic violence reports at Oscar's home. He was arrested in 2009 for physically assaulting a 19 year old girl at his house. The fact that Reeva campaigned publicly against domestic violence does not mean that she was not also a victim of abuse. Many strong women, sometimes in powerful positions and sometimes famous have dis-

closed being victims of abuse. Sometimes it is harder for women in these situations to come forward ,because of shame and embarrassment and the risk of losing their status. Help is available. Shine's Helpline 0508-744-633 operates seven days a week from 9am to 11pm. Shine makes New Zealand homes violence free. We are a leading national agency providing a range of specialist services and programmes; all aimed at assisting victims of domestic abuse to become safer and preferably to remain in their own homes. Our national toll free Helpline number is 0508 744 633.

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