HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEW ZEALAND 20 1 0 questioning, respondents named the groups of people accustomed to using coping strategies to deal with that they think are generally most discriminated against experiences of discrimination. in New Zealand today. Two-thirds of respondents (64 per • Meaningful and extended contact between Asian cent) nominated an ethnic group. This was an increase peoples and other New Zealanders should be from 47 per cent in 2008, and is now the highest since encouraged as it has been shown that the more contact 2001 when the survey was first conducted. A total of 28 people have with Asians the ‘more warmly’ they feel per cent identified Asians (up from 18 per cent in 2008), towards them. followed by 10 per cent identifying Mäori (up from 7 The presentation aimed to begin a dialogue on action per cent in 2008), 5 per cent identifying Pacific peoples to be taken in the future to lessen discrimination (no change), and 13 percent identifying Europeans (up experienced by Asian peoples. 20 from 5 per cent in 2008). In prompted questioning, 75 per cent of respondents considered that Asians were subject to a great deal of or some discrimination. Recent immigrants were thought to be subject to a great deal of or some discrimination by 63 per cent of respondents, and refugees by 61 per cent. 19 Complaints about discrimination under the Human Rights Act Racial discrimination – which includes racial harassment, discrimination based on ethnic or national origin, and inciting racial disharmony – accounted for the largest number of complaints received by the Human In 2010 the Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research Rights Commission in 2008–2009. Of the 1405 formal at Victoria University published a meta-analysis of all complaints received, 434 (31 per cent) were race related. research relating to the experience of discrimination A total of 28.2 per cent of these complaints related to by Asian New Zealanders. The results, presented at the employment and 20.7 per cent to the provision of goods Diversity Forum in August 2010, included the following: and services. • Asians are the ethnic group that experienced the most The proportion of complaints received by the Commission discrimination. • Of these, East Asians ( for example from China, Japan relating to race-related grounds has increased in the last five years, as shown in Table 1. and Korea) were most likely to report discrimination, followed by South-East Asians (for example from Table 1: Proportion of race related Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines). complaints to the Commission • Asian people experienced most discrimination in a public place such as a street (public harassment): this Number of formal Number of race-related Percentage of race-related could take the form of racist epithets or having things complaints complaints complaints 2004-5 1862 465 25% 2005-6 2058 539 26% rates of unemployment and under-employment than 2006-7 1665 453 27% other ethnic groups. 2007-8 1326 389 29% 2008-9 1405 434 31% thrown at them. • Asian people experienced significant discrimination both working at and applying for jobs, and had higher • Despite these experiences, Asian people have reported high levels of life satisfaction in New Zealand, and are Year 19 UMR research undertaken by a telephone survey of 750 individuals aged 18 or over. Key variables in the research include area (Auckland, provincial, Christchurch, Wellington, rural), gender, age, occupation, income, ethnicity, disability/health condition, and experience of discrimination. The 2008 results are accessible online under ‘Surveys/Research’ at http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/ estimates_and_projections/demographic-trends-2009.aspx 20 Summarised from Adrienne N, Girling, James H, Liu and Colleen Ward (2010), ‘Confident, Equal and Proud? A discussion paper on the barriers Asians face to equality in New Zealand.’ Unpublished paper presented at the annual Diversity Forum, Christchurch, 23 August 2010. Accessible online at http://www.slideshare.net/nzhumanrights/barriers-to-asian-equality-discussion-paper 65