No Threat to Ethnic Affairs Service

The Department of Internal Affairs restructuring will not affect the level of service provided to ethnic affairs, Internal Affairs Minister Jack Elder said.

He was responding to reported comments from the conference of the Federation of Ethnic Councils which suggested the restructuring had resulted in the demise of the ethnic affairs service.

Assurances had been given to the Federation that the restructuring would not result in a decrease in resources applied to ethnic affairs issues.

Mr Elder said the Department was actively working on a number of projects in relation to ethnic minorities in New Zealand.

The new Policy Group is currently working on the development of an Ethnic Affairs Policy Framework. This will be a practical tool for ensuring strategies are in place to foster positive inter-community relations and building social cohesion in our increasingly culturally diverse society.

Another project in progress, which is scheduled for completion by March 1998, is the production of an up-to-date population profile of the main non-Maori and non-Pacific Island ethnic minorities in New Zealand. The profile will be a companion volume to the 1993 Department of Internal Affairs publication, 'Ethnic Groups in New Zealand - a Statistical Profile'.

Mr Elder said the Department has a strong commitment to strengthening its role and responsibilities in the ethnic affairs sector, and the Federation of Ethnic Councils can be assured the interests of minorities will continue to be addressed by the Department.