One of the strengths of Aotearoa has long been its diversity.
Our migrant communities bring a wealth of cultural capital, skills and diverse perspectives to our shores, each of which contributes to a richer, more vibrant New Zealand.
From the businesses that drive our economy forward, to the service provisions we enjoy, all the way down to the food we eat, our nation is strengthened by the contributions of our migrant communities.
Unfortunately, we currently have a prime minister who seemingly refuses to stamp out racist and xenophobic rhetoric in his own Parliament which denigrates those same migrants.
We have a government in power which, instead of investing in our shared future, is pulling away from the communities who hold this country together.
From regional hospital downgrades and essential service cuts to the closures of the Winstone pulp mills or to Canterbury meat works, it’s clear that regional New Zealand, and the many migrant communities who have invigorated these places, are being let down.
I know that New Zealanders value the contribution of migrants in this country, particularly in rural and regional spaces.
From the cultural contributions they make, to the work they do across a wide spectrum of sectors, in agriculture all the way through to healthcare, I see the value of these communities with my own eyes whenever I travel to rural New Zealand.
I see it when I talk to Filipino dairy workers — seeing their eyes light up with passion about the work they do and the land they have come to call their home.
I see it when I talk to healthcare professionals at hospitals and nursing homes — when they talk about their patients and the difficulties that poor staffing ratios, inadequate healthcare facilities and the hiring freeze is causing them.
I see it when I talk to refugee and migrant communities here in Dunedin, when they talk passionately about the concerns that cutting foundation English language classes will have.
These communities deserve real, meaningful investment.
They deserve well-funded hospitals, thriving schools and infrastructure that supports their growth.
When decisions are made in Parliament which threaten to negatively impact the health, wellbeing and economic security of rural and regional communities, this government isn’t just failing to provide essential services that can be seen in isolation — it is fundamentally turning its back on a large proportion of the very people who make this country what it is.
At the heart of our nation lies Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This is a topic especially pertinent this week, but which defines our shared future every day.
Te Tiriti creates space for all those who call this country home. It upholds rights for all, while laying a foundation for a society which values partnership and respect for all cultures and all people.
That’s a big part of why it’s so important that — now more than ever — we stand firm behind Te Tiriti. It reminds us that inclusion and justice are not optional here, in this country.
In fact, they are the cornerstones for who we are. The work is now to honour it in more than just words alone — we need to honour it with action.
For me and my Green Party colleagues, that means ensuring equity and fairness in policy, standing tall against attempts to divide us or make anyone feel unwelcome.
We know we are stronger when we stand together.
We have seen the power of the people in action, marching towards Parliament to demand their voices be heard.
We have seen this in the campaign for our southern hospital — when tens of thousands of people across the region came together in one of the largest protests in the South Island to demand that our needs aren’t ignored, managing to stave off a catastrophic outcome when we forced the government to fund a partial rebuild.
It is still not the hospital we deserve and still has fewer beds than current capacity — but it shows the power of communities coming together.
Because the truth is, it has never been about politicians and what happens here in this House. It’s about our communities, our people.
It is important to remember that the powerful people sitting in Parliament only hold power because we let them.
And here’s the thing: if they don’t use that power properly, if they fail to serve the people they are meant to represent, we have the power to call them out. We have the power to demand better.
That power isn’t something they own; it is something we entrust to them.
And when they forget that, it’s up to us to remind them who they work for.
It’s now time to turn our eyes to the work that needs to be done to shore up the future of our rural and migrant communities in Otago and across the country.
That’s certainly what I will be doing.
— Francisco Hernandez is a Dunedin Green list MP.
