New Zealand Local Government Elections 2019 - Know your candidates from multicultural communities

I am a New Zealand born Indian, I am a Kiwi Indian, I do hold my cultural upbringing close to my heart. I am the first Indian female in Auckland elected onto local body election. My husband and three children have supported me to take the positions I have to help the community to thrive. I am a Current Local Board member, I bring a wealth of local government experience, I have taken an active role to ensure all Puketāpapa groups thrive, build community foundations.

I am running for Mayor of Auckland . I migrated to NZ almost 30 years ago. My journey has been difficult from start and became successful in academic, works and business lately My vision for Auckland is to consolidate and strengthen the Supercity.

My arrival in New Zealand was in February 1990 with my husband and two children. I am born in Fiji with a South Asian heritage from Gujerat, India. I worked as an executive officer at the University of Auckland followed by senior executive positions in the corporate sector. I am a company director of WinMac Solutions Ltd an Information Technology Company now operating some 24 years in West Auckland.

Brought up in India and worked in Dubai , I enjoy travelling and always wanted to visit NZ someday (scenic beauty watching early morning matches on TV especially 1992 cricket world cup) , my work created a chance for me to visit Auckland , I had wanted to travel and explore NZ anyway, so I took the opportunity ( Who wouldn’t especially as a bachelor) . This was a decade and a half back, it took a while to adjust initially to the quiet and laid-back life in Auckland, having lived in cities with lots of buzz and energy, so this was quite slow for me.

I am highly motivated & passionate individual from Baluchistan Pakistan, who has been serving the communities since a decade and acknowledged by multiple community services awards. I am a Hospitality Management graduate from MIT and worked as a hotelier and administrator officer with esteemed organizations since 2005.

I’m energetic, enthusiastic, hardworking and offer a deep understanding of our community together with management skills as an accountant. I enjoy my roles as a JP and Rotary member. The future of the Trust is very important. It creates a significant opportunity to provide a way of integrating community activities and helping define our West Auckland Culture. I’ll be your strong voice and strive for more money to be returned to the community to support health, education, sports and arts.

My name is Irinka Britnell, I am standing for the Christchurch Central Community Board as an Independent candidate. I am born in Christchurch, my parents come from Macedonia. I grew up in New Brighton and went to Avonside Girls High School. My husband and I run a small accommodation business in Linwood. My parents arrived here by escaping, across the border of former Yugoslavia into Greece. My father believed in political freedom for Macedonia, which was not tolerated at this time in former Yugoslavia. They got married in Greece, setting sail for New Zealand.

I’m a candidate for the Papanui Community Board. I emigrated from Israel to NZ 15 years ago with my husband and our two boys. Today my husband and I are owners of a mechanical workshop in Addington. I’m also a mother of two teenage boys and a dog named Sparky.

I have always believed and advocated for increased participation by ethnic community in governance roles. In June 2016, The Migrant Times had carried a piece by me, where I had commented, “I do feel ethnic and multicultural community should get more involved not just through voluntary sector but also through governance and policy making roles.”

I migrated to New Zealand in May 2008 from India as an International student. I am originally from Sasaram, Rohtas a Historic city of state Bihar. I have done MBA with Marketing specialization and Post Graduate Diploma in Information & Communication technology. I am a software professional.

My name is Sunita Gautam and Christchurch is my home for me, my husband and two children for the past 17 years. I came to New Zealand as a newlywed in 2004. I gain my first qualification from the University of Canterbury and started my career as an early childhood teacher. Currently, I am perusing a Ph.D. in the field of Immigrant entrepreneurship at the University of Canterbury.  I am also working as a senior business lecturer and a pastoral care officer at International Business College in Christchurch.

Basically, I belong to a small village from Haryana which is located on the border of Punjab-Haryana. We do have a big joint family there and I am the youngest son of my parents. My family has been in local politics for decades in India. My grandfather, grandmother and my father had served as a Sarpanch (headman) of our village for more than 25 years.

I'm Parminder Kaur, The People's Choice, Labour Candidate for Community Board in Innes Ward. I am long term resident of St. Albans. Serving communities is always been a passion of mine. I have a Master's in Political Science from university and currently serve as Justice of the Peace, Registered Marriage Celebrant and Chair of Indian NZ Association of Christchurch Inc.

Both of my great grandfathers first came to Aotearoa-New Zealand in the 1920s to earn money, back then you did not bring your wives! My Great-Grandfather on my Mother’s side decided to try his fortunes in Fiji, while on my Father’s side my great-Grandfather brought my Grandfather back to work with him into the Wellington region. I cannot image how difficult their lives were really like back then, but I have read some of the history and they had a tight community.

It was my mother’s father who came to Nz in 1949 and I was born in 1966 in Rotorua but my grand father was a pioneer to come to Nz as their was not many Indian family’s at all. Six men were given opportunity to go to Fiji or NZ. So my mum was married in 1959 in India and she brought my dad out to NZ. My parents became very popular in Rotorua which gave friends and family and strangers (indians) the gateway for people to visit. Then I moved to Wellington 30 years ago from Rotorua.

My name is Ray Chung and I’m running for Council in the Onslow Western Ward. I’m a second generation Wellingtonian. My maternal grandfather came to Wellington in 1895 and his wife - my grandmother - joined him in 1915. Like the majority of the established Chinese community both were Cantonese, coming from small villages in Zengcheng county. For 53 years my grandfather ran a variety of fruit shops, from Lambton Quay, Willis St, Newtown and Kilbirnie.

Born and bred in Malaysia, I have spent many years living abroad in different countries before making NZ my home 16 years ago. NZ is internationally recognised for its pure environment , good quality of living, political stability and I couldn’t agree more. NZ is a nation of immigrants. The face of New Zealanders are changing. I hope my daughter and her generation will continue to make NZ her home.