The first thing I do whenever I travel is buy a copy of the local newspaper.
It helps me orient myself: there is nothing like the local media to link a reader to the current affairs and culture of a region.
If Indian Newslink is a window into Indian New Zealand culture, it reflects a smart, modern community that is business savvy and fully engaged with politics and international affairs.
I have really appreciated that during the years I have been Member of Parliament for Mt Albert. My electorate has one of the highest concentrations of Indian New Zealanders.
They have supported me loyally over the years, and my family and I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of community events like the recent Diwali festival.
Diwali is not just an ancient festival but also a celebration of Indian New Zealanders’ contribution to our economic, social and cultural life, as well as our shared South Asian identity.
During the 14 years that Indian Newslink has been published, the New Zealand media has changed almost unrecognisably.
Survival has been tough. Many newspapers have come and gone in that time, yet Indian Newslink has survived, grown and flourished.
Wise decisions
I would like to congratulate the team for the wise decisions that it has made over those 14 years, and the journalists, for their quality work.
I hope that Indian Newslink continues to thrive and provide the important news source that you do for your community.
We are lucky in New Zealand to have media laws that are largely fair.
I have worked in many places in the world where journalists were unable to do their jobs properly, and the community suffered.
I have worked in other places, like UK, famous for its great newspapers, where journalistic standards were high, important stories were broken, and the community benefited.
It has been good to see some significant issues being covered in Indian Newslink.
I noticed your recent series on immigration fraud. Stories like that are important and need to be told.
I wish Indian Newslink continued success.
David Shearer is former Leader of Labour Party and currently its Spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Energy. The picture (by Narendra Bedekar) shows him with Gopalkrishna Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and former Governor of West Bengal at the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2012.
