The ex-expat posted in January about the rising political power of the Asian vote in Auckland. This has certainly not been lost on Labour which has being doing everything it can to corner this vote. Chris Carter has been given the task of winning the Asian communities over. And even though it will be a complete waste of money, he will be joining the PM and Phil Goff at the signing ceremony for the FTA with China in Beijing on 7 April. As there is no reason from a Government perspective to have Carter make this trip we are assuming that the travel costs will be put down as an election expense.
Queen Bee was somewhat surprised and angered to be delayed for 20 minutes of so a few weeks back when trying to get into Parliament buildings at the same time as 400 or so members of the Chinese community (the anger was the result of the line into the Beehive being essentially non-moving because those in the line seemed only interested in watching a Dragon dance). The reason for this delay is now clear - the Chinese community had been invited to a Chinese New Year celebration in Parliament (the Herald article attached refers to the Grand Hall - which is the old wing just next to the Executive Council Chamber, but from recollection that was where Queen Bee was. We suspect that the Chinese New Year function was in the Beehive Banquet Hall) by Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter. It seems that Carter took the spirit of the Government Government too heart (everything we do is to get Labour re-elected) and put up a poster saying "Labour Party Supports Chinese"
We leave the rest to the NZ Herald
Putting up a banner declaring "Labour Party supports Chinese" at Chinese New Year celebrations last month has landed Minister of Ethnic Affairs Chris Carter in hot soup.
National complained - saying the minister played party politics at the Beehive event, attended by 400 representatives from the Chinese community, diplomats and MPs - and Speaker Margaret Wilson agreed.
The Speaker has reminded Mr Carter that "it is a long-standing convention that events within the precincts of Parliament must not be party political ... and asking that this does not happen again".
National's Pansy Wong, Parliament's only Chinese MP, said the banner had cheapened what was the most important celebration of the Chinese community.
Mr Carter accepted that putting the banner up was a mistake.
"[It] was put up in the Grand Hall in error and the issue has been discussed with the Speaker's office," he said.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said at the function that the Government placed great value on its relationship with the Chinese community.
