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AUCKLAND - Attention seeking campaign billboards at every corner , political advertising saturating print , online , radio and television channels – it ’ s ready , set and go for New Zealand ’ s 2020 elections .
As voting begins in earnest we took to the streets of Otahuhu to find out what are the issues on the minds of the locals .
We spoke with Krishniel Chand , owner of Maharaja restaurant ), Steven Chae a director of Wasabi Sushi and Ronnie Singh , chef consultant at Menu by Ronnie .
All three said that they would be voting this year and have given much thought as to who they would vote for . We also asked them what issues are important to them .
“ I think it ’ s important that everybody do their part and vote ,” says
Top election issues for migrant voters
Singh . “ That ’ s the best thing one can do . You have to look to the future .”
Chand said : “ For me at the moment with the COVID virus and everything , how the economy is going to be affected by this virus is important . So I ’ m looking at how the next government is going to boost the economy .”
He noted that the wage subsidy helped a lot . And he is keen find out how the political parties are going to help small businesses like his .
“ I think the main thing is how our business communities are going to be assisted and how our employees are going to be looked after ,” says Singh . “ So that ’ s going to be the main focus .”
Singh says that if the businesses are doing good , and are getting the right support and they in turn are able to support their employees , only then are we going to be a happy community .
Chae says that issues around health , community and immigration are important for him . “ I ’ ve been voting in NZ for a long time ,” he adds . “ And I ’ ll do it again this year .”
On the two Referendums on legalization of cannabis and end of life choice
Chand says he has thought about it and will
BY R OWENA SINGH
be voting on both the referendums . Chae also says he will vote for the referendums .
Singh says that he hasn ’ t made up his mind yet . He says that everything has two sides to it , so you have to look at it fairly and you need to take time evaluate the pros and the cons .
“ At the moment the country has taken a few steps back ,” says Singh . “ As they say before a tiger attacks you have to take a few steps back . We are going to strive for excellence .”
Singh feels that the step
taken by the government are critical to our future well-being . We must not focus on the negatives of what has happened to our economy . The hard decisions that the country has taken to stop the spread of the virus is going put us in an advantageous position in the future .
( photos - clockwise from top left :) Steven Chae , Krishniel Chand , and Ronnie Singh
OPINION By JESIL CAJES |
WHY ELECTION DATE WAS MOVED TO 17th OCTOBER |
WELLINGTON - The reason for changing the date of the new Zealand election is due to the resurgence of COVID-19 .
The election is not cancelled , it is not even delayed , because it is within the legal timeframe of the required period .
What the New Zealand Prime Minister did was just move the date of the election .
In fact , this is not the first
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time that an election date was changed , for example , in 1956 we also delayed the election due to a national crisis .
Most of us would agree that COVID-19 is a national and a global crisis , so it is a legitimate reason for changing the election date .
It seems to me that by moving the election date , the health of our communities is shown to be the government ’ s priority , while at
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the same time it also gives other candidates a fair chance to campaign .
However , it is important that the strengths of our democratic institutions , such as elections , are also carried out or maintained .
I agree with the move , but we need to ensure that elections will push through , because it is important that every New Zealander has a say in who represents them in Parliament .
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• IMMIGRATION RESET WHAT NOW ? pg 03
• EMPLOYMENT : CAREER POWER SHIFT pg 9
• PROLIFIC FILMMAKER : KARPAL SINGH pg 12
pg 8
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