Ethnic affairs vital: United

WELLINGTON - United will push for the establishment of a ministry of ethnic affairs and an ethnic affairs minister, says its leader, Peter Dunne.

Mr Dunne said United would expect the minister to sit in the cabinet, and be involved at all levels of decision-making on issues affecting ethnic communities.

"Anything less is selling short the contribution and importance of ethnic communities to New Zealand's future."

Labour has also announced it will appoint an ethnic affairs minister, saying New Zealand lacked an effective immigrants' settlement policy at present.

But Mr Dunne said Labour's was only a token gesture to ethnic communities, because its ethnic affairs minister was likely to sit outside the cabinet. - NZPA