China Requests Additional Compensation For NZ Quake Victims

Stuff is reporting this morning that China has asked for additional compensation over and above the ACC payments that will be paid to the next of kin of Chinese citizens killed in the Christchurch earthquake.

Reporting on a RadioNZ interview, Stuff set the scene with with a comment that China has "demanded"  New Zealand give special compensation to families that lost their only child in the 22 February earthquake.

To-date seven deceased Chinese students have been identified and over twenty are still missing (source)
The report continued with

"... Chinese Ambassador Xu Jianguo had made repeated requests for extra compensation above that paid through Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
An embassy official coordinating the disaster relief centre, Cheng Lee, told Radio New Zealand that China's situation was unusual due to the fact that by law families there could only have one child per family.
"There is a very notable difference in terms of the family situation between the Chinese family members and other foreign family members," he said.
"You can expect how lonely, how desperate they are, not only from losing loved ones, but losing almost entirely their source of economic assistance after retirement." Read the full report HERE

We've written many times about New Zealand's ACC system - a no-fault state insurance organisation. The downside of which is that its provision removed a victim's (or their next of kin's) right to sue for loss or damage. Historically ACC payments aren't thought to be particularly generous.

Last week businessman, Yaxun Zhang, a member of the Henan Chamber of Commerce, donated $100,000 to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal after reading about the many Chinese people who'd lost loved ones in the disaster.


China, of course, is no stranger to the utter devastation and misery caused by earthquakes. In the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake an estimated 80,000 people lost their lives, a terrible loss which multiplied through Chinese society in ways that the western world may not be aware of. In rural parts of China if you have no children you have no status.



And, because there is no one there to provide for you there is no financial security either. You can appreciate why China feels the loss of these children in New Zealand so very deeply and the impact it is having on some families.

No right to sue
New Zealand’s has a no-fault Accident Compensation Scheme. The Accident and Compensation Commission (ACC) administers a 24 hour, 7 day per week, no-fault, comprehensive accident insurance scheme covering New Zealanders and those people visiting New Zealand. In return for this cover, people do not have the right to sue for damages if another person, or organisation, is at fault.
No fault can also mean no responsibility.

We think it may be time to review the payments made to non-residents in New Zealand, many of whom come from wealthier countries with higher average earnings and standards of living. Or better still, give foreign nationals the right to opt out of ACC cover and give them (or their insurance companies) the legal right to sue for damages if they wish.

For more postings about the ACC click HERE
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Would You Vote For The New 'Migrant Party'?

Patsy Wong's resignation has resulted in a March by-election having to be held in the Botany constituency, where migrants make up more than half of the voters.


Rather than use a mainstream party to make the Chinese migrant voice heard in parliament action was taken to form a New Citizen Party.

The New Citizen Party aims to represent Chinese New Zealanders and has a focus on economic and law and order issues. The party has been organised by Auckland businessman Paul Young, former New Zealand Labour Party list candidate Stephen Ching, and Chinese businessman Jack Chen.

The party is registered by the Electoral Commission, making it eligible to contest the party vote.
The membership of the new party is not just Chinese New Zealanders but also people in the Korean, Maori and Pakeha communities.

Last August Paul Young told the Herald that he believed that as New Zealand became more engaged with the rest of the world, "we do need to listen to different voices". He also said it had "a focus on community safety, legal and education issues which required long-term policies, "and we do not see that happening".

Given the large number of migrants living in Botany this is an excellent idea. As long as migrants from other countries are properly catered for it has a good chance of success. Its time for immigrants to have their own voice in parliament, they could effect some real changes in the way that New Zealand Inc.  is run.

Could this be the beginning of the end for the 'Kiwi Way' ?

Will trade/professional bodies be made to get together with the immigration service and adopt identical requirements? It would be good if migrants didn't get all the way to NZ (an expensive process) only to find out they can't get a job because their qualifications aren't recognised. There are far too many lawyers and engineers driving taxis.

There could be more effective anti-discrimination laws, why put Kiwis first when there's supposed to be a skills shortage in the country and the population is in decline? There should be a level playing field for all.  Is it such a radical concept to fill a job on merit, rather than accident of birth or 'who you know'?


The New Zealand Herald's headline says the new party faces an uphill struggle - looks like the status quo may be feeling  a nipping at their heels. But here's the news for them - migrants are used to an uphill struggle in NZ.

If the new party gathers power, as  it will unless sabotaged, there are other communities in New Zealand that have high proportions of migrants that may want to follow the lead and put forward their own MPs.

It wouldn't take much - perhaps 5 or so MPs to make a difference to the balance of power in New Zealand, and in an election year that's going to cause some buzzing in the Beehive.

Would you give a New Citizens Party your vote?  if only to encourage the faint winds of change that are trying to blow away the cobwebs in New Zealand?

It will be interesting to see how seriously this 'threat' to the established order is taken. If a dirty tricks campaign is waged against the new party it could be seen as desperate move to prevent change in New Zealand.

Expect to see a lot of dirt digging in the coming weeks.

For the background to this story read this report in the Herald - New Migrant Party has an uphill struggle 

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