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Why did they get into politics ?
Auckland candidates have their say ...
BALA BEERAM , National Party Candidate , Kelston ( above )
MN : Why did you get into politics ?
I have been working with communities for more than 10 years to help new migrants settle into New Zealand . They face a lot of issues like accessing affordable housing and secure permanent employment .
Being an MP gives me the opportunity to take their issues and concerns to parliament and find reasonable solutions .
MN : And what is a key policy of your party that will resonate well with migrants ?
National plays a high value on the major contribution that migrants make to our society , to our culture , to our economy by securing our border and having strong contact tracing capabilities we can begin allowing more people into New Zealand safely .
National is focused on growing the economy and creating jobs through our job start and business start policies which will benefit all .
WELLA BERNANDO , TEA Party Candidate , Manurewa ( right )
MN : What made you decide to throw your hat in the ring ?
I ’ ve always been known in our community and in other communities where I help people . I thought that I would take this advocacy to a higher level .
I ’ ve actually set up a confidence centre before to help people gather their
confidence and to give women proper care so that they can give themselves some self-love and be more productive .
I thought , why work on
a smaller scale ? My work could be on a bigger scale where I am helping more people .
MN : What are the key policies in your Party that will resonate well with Filipinos ?
We have two policies that will make the Filipino community very happy .
Since Filipinos are known to work in the healthcare system we have one policy in place that talks about having increased wages for people in the healthcare sector and in the frontline sector .
The second policy is for teachers . We want more teachers to apply as skilled migrants to New Zealand . I think that will be beneficial for our community .
ROMY UDANGA , Labour Party Candidate for the North Shore . ( top right )
MN : So Romy , what made you get into politics ?
I have always believed in the dignity of man and that the government should support and enhance the dignity of man .
The only way that you can do that is by supporting a good government and by working with a good government on policies that will be good for the well-being of the people . That is the reason why I want to win the Election .
MN : What would you consider is a key Labour policy that will resonate well with Filipinos ?
If I am going to pick one it will be education . Because we Filipinos believe in the need to prepare our children for a bright future and the way we look at this is to make sure that they are well
educated .
MONINA HERNAN- DEZ , Labour Party Candidate for East Coast Bays . ( bottom left )
The pathway to improved health and wellbeing for all is a holistic government policy that would address econmic , social and environmental issues .
This is the main reason why I am in politics , to advocate for people ’ s health and the determinants that affect it .
Interviews conducted by Migrant News reporters .
First-time voters prove top of the class on Election 2020 referendums
Alex Perrottet , Checkpoint reporter
New Zealand ' s 2020 general election could be lifechanging , with two referendum questions for voters to answer , on top of the usual two ticks for parties and electorate MPs . The Electoral Commission has sent out information on the referendum questions about end of life choice and the legalisation of cannabis , but how many people have read up on the issues ?
More than three million New Zealanders are enrolled to vote , with thousands of those first-time voters still at secondary school .
RNZ ' s Checkpoint visited Auckland Grammar School in the Epsom electorate - the seat of ACT leader and End of Life Bill author David Seymour - to see if they knew what the election is all about .
Year 13 students at the school who spoke to
Checkpoint were not warned about the media visit . Nonetheless their knowledge of the end of life choice and cannabis referendums were comprehensive and considered .
One student with detailed knowledge had read the Electoral Commission information that was sent out . How many people his age would do that ?
" Not enough . I ' m kind of worried about that ."
" I ' m not a huge fan of cannabis , I think New Zealand has got a bit of a problem already with alcohol . I understand the reasons why people might want to legalise marijuana – trying to crack down on illegal supplies and so on , so forth – but I think it ' s just adding to the problem we ' ve already got here ,"
Auckland Grammar School students discuss the upcoming referendums which
New Zealanders will vote on at the election . Photo : RNZ / Nick Munro one student told Checkpoint .
The topic of euthanasia was " a tricky issue ," he said .
" Obviously we don ' t want people to be suffering but that being sad there are some important ethical questions to be asking .
" For example , terminal illness , you ' ve got about six months of life left … these lines that are being drawn – unbearable suffering or no possibility of improvement – you need to also be asking the important ethical questions : Who is drawing these lines ? Are these the only lines we can draw ?
" It is a grey area obviously because suffering by its very nature is not an absolute ."
" If I were to vote tomorrow I ' d probably vote for ( legalisation of recreational cannabis )," another classmate said . " I just think if it is controlled and policed reasonably strictly then it does take the power out of the black market ."
Down the road from Auckland Grammar on Newmarket ' s Broadway , the general public ' s awareness of the two referendums was mixed .
" I do think it ' s probably important for medicinal use . There seems to be a lot of evidence ," one said .
But the referendum question on marijuana is about whether it should be legalised for recreational use .
" I don ' t really follow politics , but I know who I ' m going to vote ( for )," another said .
" Medicinal marijuana I agree with because it will help people with pain and things like that but the normal smoking of marijuana – I don ' t believe in smoking anyway ," another member of the public said .
The Auckland Grammar students ' advice for the public ? Read the information at the government ' s official referendum information webpage .
Here are the two referendum questions :
Do you support the End of Life Choice Act 2019 coming into force ?
You can choose 1 of these 2 answers :
Yes , I support the End of Life Choice Act 2019 coming into force .
No , I do not support the End of Life Choice Act 2019 coming into force .
Do you support the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill ?
You can choose 1 of these 2 answers :
Yes , I support the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill .
No , I do not support the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill . - RNZ
Editor - You can enrol to vote right up to and including the day of the election , October 17 .
For more news , views and interviews please check out these ethnic Election information channels : www . migrantnews . nz and www . pinoynz . live