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Govt has 'open mind’ on ethnic ministry

PA Wellington Establishing a Minister and Ministry for ethnic affairs is not part of the Government’s policy but it has an open jnind on the issue, says the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Mr Prebble. Mr Prebble was responding to a call by the Wellington Ethnic Affairs Council for an ethnic affairs ministry that could look after the interests of all migrant ethnic minority groups in New Zealand other than that of Maoris. Mr Prebble said he was aware of the council’s desire for such a Ministry and had had discussions with them about it. “However, I had not seen evidence that there is any great demand from

the community for the establishment of such a Ministry,” Mr Prebble said. The Minister of Internal Affairs had traditionally accepted the role of liaising with ethnic communities and he knew-that the present Minister in this portfolio, Mr Tapsell, took this part of his duties very seriously, Mr Prebble said. “Where I agree with the ethnic council is that it would not be appropriate just to tack ethnic affairs on to the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. “New Zealand as a Pacific nation has to give some importance to Pacific questions.”

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19870226.2.87

Bibliographic details

Press, 26 February 1987, Page 14

Word Count
205

Govt has 'open mind’ on ethnic ministry Press, 26 February 1987, Page 14

Govt has 'open mind’ on ethnic ministry Press, 26 February 1987, Page 14