Cabinet reshuffle: does government take Indian-descent MPs seriously?
Prime Minister Bill English's latest cabinet reshuffle is widely on much-anticipated lines of injecting fresh blood and giving more chances to the National Party backbenchers in the cabinet.
It was an open secret ever since Mr English was appointed as the prime minister after John Key announced his shock resignation earlier this month that backbenchers will be given a chance in the cabinet, along with other considerations in the cabinet formation.
Expectedly, four backbenchers including a first timer in the parliament were elevated to the ministerial position in this reshuffle.
Alfred Ngaro, the National List MP based at Te Atatu and the first timer in parliament was straightaway made a minister in the cabinet.
Sadly Indian-origin MPs have missed the bus again.
And this has come not long after the recent crushing of the dream of sending first Kiwi-Indian electorate MP in the parliament in the Mt Roskill by-election.
Dr Parmjeet Parmar, National List MP from Mt Roskill was then routed in a lopsided contest by the Labour candidate Michael Wood in the traditional labour stronghold of Mt Roskill where a by-election was held due to Phil Goff's election as the Mayor of Auckland.
It can be argued that this time Kanwaljit Bakshi, the National List MP from Manukau East and the senior most Indian origin MP in New Zealand parliament would be at the forefront of lost opportunity to represent the Kiwi-Indian community in the cabinet.
Although Mr Bakshi cautiously deflected Indian Weekender’s initial enquiry if there was any disappointment in not receiving a ministerial berth.
"This is Prime Minister's call [and] I cannot comment on that. There is no dearth of talent in the caucus. It is for him to pick who he thinks is best for the role.
I'm not disappointed at all and am currently enjoying my role of serving the community," Mr Bakshi said.
Others in the community, especially those on the other side of the political divide were less appreciative of this development.
Taking the lead among them was New Zealand People Party’s (NZPP) founder President Roshan Nauhria.
Speaking exclusively with Indian Weekender, NZPP founder Mr Nauhria expectedly called for the resignation of Mr Bakshi and Ms.Parmar on the grounds that they have failed to make their mark as representatives of the Indian community, thereby justifying the presence of his party.
"If after eight years in Parliament Mr Bakshi cannot get a ministerial berth then it is high time that he should step aside and let some fresh talent come forth," Mr Nauhria said.
Similarly, Sunny Kaushal, Labour's parliamentary candidate for the electorate in 2011 was of the opinion that National Party had lost the opportunity to bring more diversity in the cabinet.
"The National Party missed an excellent opportunity again to recognise the diversity of modern society," Mr Kaushal said.
Although, another Labour candidate Priyanca Radhakrishnan was less critical of National Party probably acknowledging the work that goes behind any cabinet formation.
"Decisions on cabinet positions are for Prime Minister to make and I wish well to all those MPs who have become ministers," Ms Radhakrishnan said.
Regardless of political divide on both sides, Indian Weekender could not abstain away from its responsibility to investigate further into this perceived lost opportunity of getting first Kiwi-Indian Minister in New Zealand. It has been eight years since New Zealand had its first Indian-origin MP in the parliament.
There were two lines of enquiries. Firstly, if there was any latent expectation within the community for a ministerial berth for any Indian-descent MP. Subsequently, to explore possible factors responsible for Indian-descent MPs eventual failure in securing a place in the cabinet.
To our surprise, the community has mixed expectations about the possibility of a first Indian-descent minister in the New Zealand cabinet.
Veer Khar, President Manukau Indian Association, was of the opinion that Indian representation in New Zealand parliament is less than a decade old starting in 2008 which is probably not enough time to expect a ministerial position for the community.
“I am not too concerned right now as our community is not in a position at this stage to get in the ministerial position, but yes, in the next election I am keen to see someone in the parliament,” Mr Khar said.
Similarly, Anjali Singh, a resident of Sandringham believed that it was too early to expect an Indian-descent minister in the New Zealand cabinet.
“I think it has only been eight years since we had an Indian-descent MP in the parliament and it might be too early to expect a promotion as a cabinet minister,” Ms Singh said.
On the other side of the scale were few in the community who had some expectations of seeing the elevation of some Indian-descent MP as a minister.
Shanti Patel of Auckland Indian Association said that “definitely, there was some expectation in seeing one of the two National MPs elevated to cabinet.
But National Party is conservative in their outlook and also New Zealand is not yet ready for an Indian in the cabinet.
Moreover, our MPs haven't proved their worth yet.”
Clearly, the community has an overly defensive outlook towards expecting a Kiwi-Indian minister in the cabinet.
Seemingly such defensive views in the community were reflective of a diasporic community trying to find its feet in a new immigrant nation where time spent in parliament was seen as a symbol of acceptability by the mainstream society.
However, most of them seem to be less attentive to the fact that in other parts of Anglospheric-world with a similar history of Indian migration levels Indian-origin MPs have received much earlier ministerial call.
In Canada, Harbance Singh (Herb) Dhaliwal, was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1993 election and became the Minister of Revenue in 1997 - a promotion call in four years.
To put it in perspective there are five Indian-descent ministers in the current Liberal government of Canada.
In that regard, there is an evident lack of self-belief in the wider community to expect a kiwi-Indian minister in New Zealand.
Stalled at our first line of enquiry we swiftly moved on towards the second line of questioning about possible factors responsible for not precipitating a ministerial promotion of Indian-origin MPs in the National caucus.
While in Dr Parmar’s electoral defeat, the outcome was largely determined by the electorate, the recent lost opportunity to get an Indian-origin minister is the prerogative of the Prime Minister and his close advisors.
Audrey Young, NZ Herald’s political editor has identified five possible factors that may play a part in getting a cabinet call and the two most relevant factors for a backbencher MP are factors of generational change and balance in the cabinet.
Other commentators identify talent and charisma as the final arbiter of securing a ministerial call.
The final cabinet reshuffle as executed by the Prime Minister on Sunday, December 18, suggest that long time heads-down approach diligent work has also been rewarded in this reshuffle.
Presumably, Indian-descent MPs in parliament have not been able to tick right boxes in any of these above suggested criteria for the ministerial berth.
Ethnic balance, unlike gender balance, is a lesser criterion for cabinet positions, and even lesser priority for the National Party than the Labour Party to lead to the appointment of an Indian-descent MP in the cabinet.
Similarly, if an apprenticeship is an important determinant of securing ministerial position, then Kanwaljit Bakshi should well qualify in that category as he has been a List MP since 2008, a member of Commerce Select Committee and the Chairperson of the Law and Order Select Committee.
Likewise, it may be blasphemous to suggest from this desk that there is a lack of charisma or talent within Indian-origin MPs in parliament, despite Mr English’s reshuffle suggesting the same.
Either way, it is clear that Indian-origin MPs do not figure high within the top leadership of the National Party to merit a place in the cabinet.
Whether it is a reflection of an apparent lack of self-belief within the community or Indian-origin MPs themselves is something that we can leave at reader’s discretion.
Prime Minister Bill English's latest cabinet reshuffle is widely on much-anticipated lines of injecting fresh blood and giving more chances to the National Party backbenchers in the cabinet.
It was an open secret ever since Mr English was appointed as the prime minister after John Key announced his...
Prime Minister Bill English's latest cabinet reshuffle is widely on much-anticipated lines of injecting fresh blood and giving more chances to the National Party backbenchers in the cabinet.
It was an open secret ever since Mr English was appointed as the prime minister after John Key announced his shock resignation earlier this month that backbenchers will be given a chance in the cabinet, along with other considerations in the cabinet formation.
Expectedly, four backbenchers including a first timer in the parliament were elevated to the ministerial position in this reshuffle.
Alfred Ngaro, the National List MP based at Te Atatu and the first timer in parliament was straightaway made a minister in the cabinet.
Sadly Indian-origin MPs have missed the bus again.
And this has come not long after the recent crushing of the dream of sending first Kiwi-Indian electorate MP in the parliament in the Mt Roskill by-election.
Dr Parmjeet Parmar, National List MP from Mt Roskill was then routed in a lopsided contest by the Labour candidate Michael Wood in the traditional labour stronghold of Mt Roskill where a by-election was held due to Phil Goff's election as the Mayor of Auckland.
It can be argued that this time Kanwaljit Bakshi, the National List MP from Manukau East and the senior most Indian origin MP in New Zealand parliament would be at the forefront of lost opportunity to represent the Kiwi-Indian community in the cabinet.
Although Mr Bakshi cautiously deflected Indian Weekender’s initial enquiry if there was any disappointment in not receiving a ministerial berth.
"This is Prime Minister's call [and] I cannot comment on that. There is no dearth of talent in the caucus. It is for him to pick who he thinks is best for the role.
I'm not disappointed at all and am currently enjoying my role of serving the community," Mr Bakshi said.
Others in the community, especially those on the other side of the political divide were less appreciative of this development.
Taking the lead among them was New Zealand People Party’s (NZPP) founder President Roshan Nauhria.
Speaking exclusively with Indian Weekender, NZPP founder Mr Nauhria expectedly called for the resignation of Mr Bakshi and Ms.Parmar on the grounds that they have failed to make their mark as representatives of the Indian community, thereby justifying the presence of his party.
"If after eight years in Parliament Mr Bakshi cannot get a ministerial berth then it is high time that he should step aside and let some fresh talent come forth," Mr Nauhria said.
Similarly, Sunny Kaushal, Labour's parliamentary candidate for the electorate in 2011 was of the opinion that National Party had lost the opportunity to bring more diversity in the cabinet.
"The National Party missed an excellent opportunity again to recognise the diversity of modern society," Mr Kaushal said.
Although, another Labour candidate Priyanca Radhakrishnan was less critical of National Party probably acknowledging the work that goes behind any cabinet formation.
"Decisions on cabinet positions are for Prime Minister to make and I wish well to all those MPs who have become ministers," Ms Radhakrishnan said.
Regardless of political divide on both sides, Indian Weekender could not abstain away from its responsibility to investigate further into this perceived lost opportunity of getting first Kiwi-Indian Minister in New Zealand. It has been eight years since New Zealand had its first Indian-origin MP in the parliament.
There were two lines of enquiries. Firstly, if there was any latent expectation within the community for a ministerial berth for any Indian-descent MP. Subsequently, to explore possible factors responsible for Indian-descent MPs eventual failure in securing a place in the cabinet.
To our surprise, the community has mixed expectations about the possibility of a first Indian-descent minister in the New Zealand cabinet.
Veer Khar, President Manukau Indian Association, was of the opinion that Indian representation in New Zealand parliament is less than a decade old starting in 2008 which is probably not enough time to expect a ministerial position for the community.
“I am not too concerned right now as our community is not in a position at this stage to get in the ministerial position, but yes, in the next election I am keen to see someone in the parliament,” Mr Khar said.
Similarly, Anjali Singh, a resident of Sandringham believed that it was too early to expect an Indian-descent minister in the New Zealand cabinet.
“I think it has only been eight years since we had an Indian-descent MP in the parliament and it might be too early to expect a promotion as a cabinet minister,” Ms Singh said.
On the other side of the scale were few in the community who had some expectations of seeing the elevation of some Indian-descent MP as a minister.
Shanti Patel of Auckland Indian Association said that “definitely, there was some expectation in seeing one of the two National MPs elevated to cabinet.
But National Party is conservative in their outlook and also New Zealand is not yet ready for an Indian in the cabinet.
Moreover, our MPs haven't proved their worth yet.”
Clearly, the community has an overly defensive outlook towards expecting a Kiwi-Indian minister in the cabinet.
Seemingly such defensive views in the community were reflective of a diasporic community trying to find its feet in a new immigrant nation where time spent in parliament was seen as a symbol of acceptability by the mainstream society.
However, most of them seem to be less attentive to the fact that in other parts of Anglospheric-world with a similar history of Indian migration levels Indian-origin MPs have received much earlier ministerial call.
In Canada, Harbance Singh (Herb) Dhaliwal, was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1993 election and became the Minister of Revenue in 1997 - a promotion call in four years.
To put it in perspective there are five Indian-descent ministers in the current Liberal government of Canada.
In that regard, there is an evident lack of self-belief in the wider community to expect a kiwi-Indian minister in New Zealand.
Stalled at our first line of enquiry we swiftly moved on towards the second line of questioning about possible factors responsible for not precipitating a ministerial promotion of Indian-origin MPs in the National caucus.
While in Dr Parmar’s electoral defeat, the outcome was largely determined by the electorate, the recent lost opportunity to get an Indian-origin minister is the prerogative of the Prime Minister and his close advisors.
Audrey Young, NZ Herald’s political editor has identified five possible factors that may play a part in getting a cabinet call and the two most relevant factors for a backbencher MP are factors of generational change and balance in the cabinet.
Other commentators identify talent and charisma as the final arbiter of securing a ministerial call.
The final cabinet reshuffle as executed by the Prime Minister on Sunday, December 18, suggest that long time heads-down approach diligent work has also been rewarded in this reshuffle.
Presumably, Indian-descent MPs in parliament have not been able to tick right boxes in any of these above suggested criteria for the ministerial berth.
Ethnic balance, unlike gender balance, is a lesser criterion for cabinet positions, and even lesser priority for the National Party than the Labour Party to lead to the appointment of an Indian-descent MP in the cabinet.
Similarly, if an apprenticeship is an important determinant of securing ministerial position, then Kanwaljit Bakshi should well qualify in that category as he has been a List MP since 2008, a member of Commerce Select Committee and the Chairperson of the Law and Order Select Committee.
Likewise, it may be blasphemous to suggest from this desk that there is a lack of charisma or talent within Indian-origin MPs in parliament, despite Mr English’s reshuffle suggesting the same.
Either way, it is clear that Indian-origin MPs do not figure high within the top leadership of the National Party to merit a place in the cabinet.
Whether it is a reflection of an apparent lack of self-belief within the community or Indian-origin MPs themselves is something that we can leave at reader’s discretion.
Leave a Comment