Discrimination Against Asians Still A Key Issue In New Zealand - Updated

Asian New Zealanders and international students continue to experience racial discrimination and harassment, according to a report released by Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres.

It seems that discrimination has increased over the last year (perhaps this is a result of a 'kiwis first' mentality during the recession?) with Asians being the most discriminated against. Overall around 10% of New Zealanders experienced discrimination and it looks like police still don't collect data on racially motivated crimes:

"Public perceptions of discrimination against ethnic groups, and particularly Asians, have increased in the past 12 months. Two-thirds of survey respondents nominated an ethnic group when asked who they thought was most discriminated in New Zealand, and 28 per cent identified Asians. In a further question, when given a list of 14 named groups to choose from, 75 per cent identified Asians as the most discriminated against.

The 2009 Statistics New Zealand general social survey also asked questions about discrimination. The survey showed 10 per cent of New Zealanders experienced discrimination. The most common grounds were race, ethnic group or skin colour, and Asians experienced the most discrimination.

Examples of discrimination and harassment regularly heard by the Commission included discrimination in employment, verbal abuse (often shouted from people in cars), having water bombs and eggs thrown at them, abuse by neighbours, rubbish being tipped over the fence, damage to property and cars, bullying in schools, and harassment in the workplace.

“This type of behavior is not carried out by the majority of New Zealanders, but it is common and everyone needs to help put a stop to it,” said Mr de Bres.

Mr de Bres made five recommendations for addressing the situation:

    * Encouraging people to share stories of discrimination, harassment and abuse (in the workplace, education sector, health sector and communities).

    * Countering the relatively high incidence of discrimination against Asian New Zealanders, through government, businesses, school and community action.

    * Ensuring the safety of international students, including effective reporting mechanisms, through the education sector, police and local government action.

    * Police collection of data on racially motivated crime, as recommended by the United Nations Periodic Review of New Zealand and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

    * Formally welcoming and acknowledging international students and temporary migrant workers in communities (for example, at Race Relations Day events).

The review of racial discrimination and harassment forms part of the Commission’s annual Race Relations Report, which will be released in Auckland on 11 March."

In November we talked about how the Maori party Co-vice president Heta Hingston said a lot of racism in New Zealand was covered up:  

"racism ... in New Zealand, is covert. Very few of the ardent anti-Maori, anti-Islander, anti-Asian front up... (the secrecy) is the worst part about racism that is rife in New Zealand. There are so many good Pakehas being tarred with the brush of those other racists that is all hidden."

Which is why police need to start collecting data on racially motivated crimes.

And in September we covered a Press report that everyday 'race hate' is rife in places like Christchurch. At that time  Joris de Bres said race-hate crimes were a problem not just in Christchurch but around the country and were occurring more often than was reported to police:

  "It's becoming more and more urgent for police to gather data of racial abuse. The Government does agree but has said it's not a priority. People needed to report their experience and schools needed a culture of tolerance and respect, he said."

Well his words have been proven to be true, incidents of racial discrimination have continued to increase. Perhaps the government should now give this issue priority and stop worrying about what it will do to New Zealand's international reputation, or the crime figure?


Update 
The report was released as scheduled on 11 March 2010 and Lincoln Tan of the Herald covered the story:

"The Human Rights Commission says racial discrimination and harassment in New Zealand is worrying.

In the annual Race Relations Report released today, the commission says it received 1253 race-related complaints and inquiries last year, which is "significantly higher" than in previous years.
Complaints related to race accounted for 55.4 per cent of all discrimination approaches.
"Data on racial discrimination and harassment from 2009 are a cause for concern," said Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres.

Also on the rise is public perceptions of discrimination against ethnic minorities, especially Asians...

There was an interesting snippet about the plight of people on temporary work permits, demonstrating that they are still being affected by 'jobs for kiwis' policies:

"Nearly one in three Maori and Pacific youth were unemployed at the end of 2009. People on temporary work permits were also affected by the recession, as their permits were not extended," Mr de Bres said." read the article

For blog posts about Racism in New Zealand please click HERE,

See Also:  Malaysian tour group subjected to racism in Arrowtown.

Today's posts - click here

Migrant Stories - "The Health Care System Is Second Rate" - Updated: "Horrific Workloads"

11 February 2010
Continuing in our series of Migrant Stories: first hand accounts of migrant life in New Zealand, taken from locations around the net.

This story was written by a nurse with over 30 years of experience. In it she tells of prejudice and how difficult it was to find a job. She also talks about how thousands and thousands of health care dollars are being wasted because there is no incentive to change and of how people wait so long for some tests and treatments that permanent damage is done to their health. She is minded to stay and work through this but her Kiwi partner is starting to look toward Australia to make some money.

"As a nurse in the US with over 3 decades of experience, I can tell you I had one helluva time trying to get registered to work as a nurse in this country. I have found there is prejudice here - even if you are skilled and willing to work, not coming here looking for a handout - just a JOB. (I lost track of the number of applications I filled out - to do ANYTHING - before I literally got lucky and got a job at a DHB hospital as a Health Care Assistant, which was a major stepping stone to getting the registration.)

My partner, a kiwi, was just as surprised (and disappointed) at the difficulty I had. I make a good living here, and it's because I do work hard. And, to be honest, I'm going through some not unexpected issues where I work - but in talking with other foreign (and young, less experienced) nurses, it seems to be the norm. So I am just biting my tongue and getting through it; I know enough to recognize it and I can deal with it. Some of it is because it's New Zealand, some of it is because it's nurses.

Another negative here - they are resistant to change moreso than anywhere I've ever seen. I worked in the health insurance industry for 10 years before I came here, and one of the things I looked for were areas where money was wasted. Here, I can see thousands and thousands of health care dollars wasted because there is no incentive to change things. And they do some things here the same way we did them in US hospitals when I was a student nurse. And since residents here see health care as "free", they really don't care. And they don't realize the health care system is second rate. Yep, I said it and I really believe it. I see things every day that scare the hell out of me. People have to wait days for some tests and treatments that would be done in a matter of hours in the US. By then, permanent damage has been done. But, oh well, that's just the way it is.

The saddest thing is, I believe New Zealand, because it IS a small country, has the potential to be a world leader in health care. Too bad it will never happen, because nothing will change unless there is a catastrophe that makes it absolutely necessary and without option.

My life here is simpler, and I do delight in the small things - like seeing the covey of quail cross the road when I'm on my way to work in the morning, or seeing gorgeous flowers in bloom, or just simply the ever changing scenery (which at the moment is pretty brown and crispy.) So, I'm staying, even though I know my partner is starting to get the itch to go back to Oz and make some money. He has been looking for a job for several months. So, yeah, even if you have experience and education, that doesn't mean smooth sailing as far as getting a job here.

Excuse me, though, as I must put on my rose-colored glasses and go sit in the sun. (First applying sunscreen so I don't develop skin cancer!)"

Doctors and Nurses Notes
There is a workforce crisis in New Zealand's hospitals. Specialist senior doctors are being lost and there is a shortage of cancer specialists. Staff are lost to Australia (where the salaries are 35% higher) and to private practice. The causes are: low pay by international standards, overwork and lack of resources to do the job.

In 2008 The College of Nurses, Aotearoa, NZ Inc. advised the incoming government of the following problems:

*"Unmanageable workloads and limited job satisfaction through inability to maintain professional standards of care deter people from remaining in the nursing profession. Most nurses graduate with high levels of debt and emigration is seen as a sensible option for many who face many years of debt repayment in New Zealand.  Currently 23% of the NZ nursing workforce is imported, often from countries which can ill afford to lose nurses.

* The many innovations and initiatives that nursing has striven for (such as establishment of the Nurse Practitioner role and increased nursing services in PHOs) are consistently slowed, impeded or blocked at health policy level.

* The magnet hospital movement is a strongly evidence based solution to patient safety and nurse workforce recruitment and retention. It remains largely ignored in NZ despite vigorous efforts by nursing to see it promoted.

* A larger Maori nursing workforce is needed to provide services to Maori"

See also an article in The Nelson Mail, 6 March 2010: "Nurses fear cutbacks put lives at risk" :

" The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board has been told by Health Minister Tony Ryall to stop spending so much money because of its worsening deficit, but nurses are saying the constraints are putting patients' lives at risk.

Nurses who expressed concerns over these risks are too scared to be named for fear of losing their jobs...


...(A) nurse said sometimes there were only two or three nurses on an afternoon shift for a full ward of 30 patients and one house surgeon for the whole hospital. "Concerns have been raised through the appropriate channels and nothing gets done about it," she said.

A third nurse, who left her job because of the stress, ended up hating nursing. "You leave there feeling like you haven't done your job."

There was a culture of bullying and a "sit down and be quiet culture" at the hospital, she said."

Updated 11 March 2010: The Nelson Mail
"Nelson nurses tell of 'horrific workloads'"

"...One nurse, who said she sought counselling after months of stressful shifts, ended up resigning. She said six other nurses had also left their jobs at the ward she worked in since September last year and most were not being replaced.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, said she was speaking out because she believed it was important to battle for patient and nurse safety. She believed nurses needed a lawyer to work in their defence because of a lack of action over their concerns from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and hospital managers. Letters shown to The Nelson Mail outline a detailed complaint she made to senior management, including the director of nursing, last year.  In the letter, the nurse points to a shift last winter which prompted nurses to file an incident form.

It was one of the "many horrific shifts" she had to work. There were four nurses when six should have been on with six admissions, a cardiac arrest and a death. She had no meal break and each nurse had seven to eight patients as well as a student to oversee...

SPEAKING OUT

Former Nelson Hospital nurse: "As nurses we expect the odd busy horrible shift, but this becomes an ethical dilemma when the majority of shifts are like this."

"Lives have already been put at risk, with deaths occurring."

"The environment at this hospital is already at crisis point, with staff leaving and patient deaths. How the hell are staff going to cope with cutbacks if the environment has already been so badly affected in the past few years? The winter will be a nightmare from hell."

Current nurse: "Maternity staff have been leaving in droves over the past 18 months and there has been a policy not to replace them."

See also:

Radiographers strike could threaten hospital treatment 

Residents of Queenstown are getting only about half the health services of similar sized centres in Otago and Southland

Director General of Health to 'stand down'



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Local Shop Robbed By Pistol Wielding Youths

The Pricecutter in Bridge Street, Huntly was robbed last night by three bandanna wearing youths brandishing pistols and an iron bar. Various news organisations are running the story today (link  link)

The robbery took place at around 7:45pm and it looks like a quantity of cash was taken. Police arrested two 18 year old and one 16 year old youth a short time later.


View Larger Map
google street view of Bridge Street shops

We noted that news reports about the robbery mention that the thugs were wearing bandannas, usually this is code for "gang members" The small town has been suffering from other aggravated robberies and violent crimes in recent times.

On 23 January a man in his 70s was bashed from behind with a brick whilst unloading goods from a van on Bridge Street at around 5pm on 20 January. He was robbed of the few dollars he had in his pocket.

The victim has lived in Huntly for about 10 years and said it was the first time he had experienced anything like it. The Waikato Times reported him as saying:

"I've never had anything like this happen. I get on well with the community and mix with them all and wouldn't say it's out of character, but it's out of character with the people that I deal with."

The man was angry such an attack could take place in his town.

"They're layabouts and gutless people, and don't care who they attack. They ought to get real and get themselves a job and do something in society ...

"There's always some idiot out there who wants to prey on somebody, just for a few dollars."

To the best of our knowledge other recent violent crimes in the town include:

• The hold-up of the post shop on Main Street at around 9.30am on 11 December

• The shot-gun heist of an Armourguard van making a delivery to the ANZ Bank on 3 November 

• An armed robbery of 4 motorbikes from Kihikihi motorbike store which resulted in an armed offenders call-out with helicopter support at a north Huntly address on 28 July 2009.

Just what is causing this rise in violent crime in the small town (population just over 7,000) is unclear but we suspect that the man who suffered the brick attack may have put his finger on it: "They're layabouts and gutless people, and don't care who they attack. They ought to get real and get themselves a job and do something in society."

See Also: Armed Robberies 

 Today's posts - click here