ISSUE
Friday, August 8, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 71
A Media release received from McClymont & Associates this morning states that Sri Lankan born, New Zealand Immigration Lawyer Ramya Sathiyanathan was shocked to be told by Immigration New Zealand that the listeners of New Zealand’s one of Hindi language radio stations are unlikely to be New Zealanders.
The Immigration New Zealand employee, in a letter raising concerns about an applicant’s visa application stated that “New Zealand citizens/residents are unlikely to listen to an Indian Radio Station”, confirming her assumption regarding the nationality of the approximate 155,000 persons of Indian origin in New Zealand.
The release states that the implications of this are extremely serious in that it reflects an attitude within Immigration New Zealand that only white English speakers can be New Zealanders.
Television New Zealand suspended broadcaster Paul Henry for his remarks regarding our then Governor General, Anand Satyanand, not looking like a real New Zealander but now the same comments are coming from government employees whose job it is to determine who can stay and work in New Zealand.
Alastair McClymont, Ms Sathiyanathan’s employer at McClymont & Associates, a specialist Immigration Law firm in Auckland said today that “the immigration officers comments confirmed what we had often suspected about racial bias within Immigration New Zealand, but what shocked us the most was that an officer actually thought it appropriate to put the comments in writing to our client.”
Mr McClymont stated that Immigration New Zealand management were immediately made aware of the issue, and whilst removing the officer from further work on the application they have taken no steps to address the comments made by the officer, thereby tacitly supporting her assumption.
In the meantime, Ms Sathiyanathan has submitted a complaint to the Race Relations Conciliator.
Indian Weekender is investigating the matter further.
Disclaimer: The information contained in the press release belongs solely to McClymont & Associates and is not the responsibility of Indian Weekender.
A Media release received from McClymont & Associates this morning states that Sri Lankan born, New Zealand Immigration Lawyer Ramya Sathiyanathan was shocked to be told by Immigration New Zealand that the listeners of New Zealand’s one of Hindi language radio stations are unlikely to be New...
A Media release received from McClymont & Associates this morning states that Sri Lankan born, New Zealand Immigration Lawyer Ramya Sathiyanathan was shocked to be told by Immigration New Zealand that the listeners of New Zealand’s one of Hindi language radio stations are unlikely to be New Zealanders.
The Immigration New Zealand employee, in a letter raising concerns about an applicant’s visa application stated that “New Zealand citizens/residents are unlikely to listen to an Indian Radio Station”, confirming her assumption regarding the nationality of the approximate 155,000 persons of Indian origin in New Zealand.
The release states that the implications of this are extremely serious in that it reflects an attitude within Immigration New Zealand that only white English speakers can be New Zealanders.
Television New Zealand suspended broadcaster Paul Henry for his remarks regarding our then Governor General, Anand Satyanand, not looking like a real New Zealander but now the same comments are coming from government employees whose job it is to determine who can stay and work in New Zealand.
Alastair McClymont, Ms Sathiyanathan’s employer at McClymont & Associates, a specialist Immigration Law firm in Auckland said today that “the immigration officers comments confirmed what we had often suspected about racial bias within Immigration New Zealand, but what shocked us the most was that an officer actually thought it appropriate to put the comments in writing to our client.”
Mr McClymont stated that Immigration New Zealand management were immediately made aware of the issue, and whilst removing the officer from further work on the application they have taken no steps to address the comments made by the officer, thereby tacitly supporting her assumption.
In the meantime, Ms Sathiyanathan has submitted a complaint to the Race Relations Conciliator.
Indian Weekender is investigating the matter further.
Disclaimer: The information contained in the press release belongs solely to McClymont & Associates and is not the responsibility of Indian Weekender.
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