New role has local Labour star on move

POLICY MAKER: Wairarapa Labour women's leader Priyanca Radhakrishnan.

A new role with the Labour Party will mean a change of scenery for Carterton's Priyanca Radhakrishnan - but she hopes to take the Wairarapa "community spirit" and can-do attitude with her.

Ms Radhakrishnan has been appointed as policy, research and communications assistant to Phil Goff, Labour Party spokesman for Ethnic Affairs.

Her role, while based primarily at Mr Goff's Mt Roskill office, will involve consulting with ethnic communities all over the country and identifying relevant issues. She will also be contributing to Labour Party policy development.

Ms Radhakrishnan, founder and leader of the Wairarapa Labour women's branch, was at 23 on the Labour Party List leading up to this year's election - but the party's defeat cheated her out of a seat in Parliament.

But she hopes this role will be as good an opportunity to "make a difference".

"It sounds cliche, but I feel there is so much potential in ethnic affairs for change," said Ms Radhakrishnan.

"No one else in Parliament is really working in this area."

Born in India, Ms Radhakrishnan has had more than 10 years of work with ethnic communities behind her - as an advocate, social worker, media spokeswoman and senior manager for the Shakti Community Council, a refuge organisation for Asian, African and Middle Eastern women.

She also started her own refuge centre for migrant women experiencing domestic abuse in Tauranga.

While on the campaign trial, Ms Radhakrishnan met a range of people from ethnic communities, who spoke of the issues they face - finding employment being one of the most pressing.

"A lot our ethnic migrants are business owners, which is great," she said.

"But that is mainly because it's so difficult to break into the New Zealand workforce."

"Many people I spoke to feel they don't have a voice in the community."

Exploitation of ethnic workers is another key issue - with Ms Radhakrishnan highlighting the case of an Indian man in Wairarapa, whose employer withheld a year's wages.

Ms Radhakrishnan will move to Auckland in February for her new role - but said we will miss Wairarapa, where she has spent five years.

"The Labour community here is very close-knit - I've met a really neat bunch of people.

"I'll be taking that community spirit with me wherever I go."