Venkat Raman
Auckland, April 30, 2021
National Party Leader Judith Collins with Party President Peter Goodfellow with some members of her Caucus and Party leadership at our office on April 30, 2021
National Party Leader Judith Collins and her fellow MPs have expressed their sympathies to the members of the Indian community in New Zealand as their families and friends battle with the devastating outbreak of the second wave of Covid-19 in India.
Difficult and devastating
They also acknowledged the work being done by the Indian government, businesses and NGOs in responding to the Covid issue and reducing the extreme hardship suffered by the people of India.
Speaking at a special luncheon organised for the National Party MPs and leadership at our offices today (Friday, April 30, 2021), Ms Collins said that she and her colleagues are concerned over the current situation in India.
“This is a very difficult time for people in India and we hope that the situation will be brought under control very soon. We are also very concerned and we feel for the families in India. Indeed, nobody wants who mass loads of people with Covid coming here. But we are also very aware that you are going through difficult times. We stand by you,” she said.
Ms Collins said that she and her Party are grateful for the support that they receive from ethnic communities in New Zealand over the years.
“Members of our ethnic communities are hard-working, sincere and very reliable. We are very happy to have established and promoted a very good relationship,” she said.
National Party President Peter Goodfellow and Leader Judith Collins with Siva Kilari at Indian Newslink office on April 30, 2021
Our guests and speakers
Among our guests were Party Leader Judith Collins, Members of Parliament Andrew Bayly, Scott Simpson, Simon O’Connor, Michael Woodhouse, Melissa Lee, Mark Mitchell, Simeon Brown, Chris Penk and Christopher Luxon; Auckland Councillor Desley Simpson, Party President Peter Goodfellow and Directors Alastair Bell, Andrew Hunt and Stefan Sunde; former MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and a selection of businesses and aspiring lawmakers.
The Party’s Shadow Treasurer and Spokesperson for Infrastructure and Statistics Andrew Bayly said that National understands the importance of the Indian community from an economic perspective in New Zealand.
Significant contributions
“Your contributions are significant. We would like to talk to you about immigration, work relations, complaints and the employment law procedures that are unfair to businessowners. We want to work with you to ensure that you grow your business unfettered,” he said and said that he was saddened by the current Covid situation in India.
National Party President Peter Goodfellow and Leader Judith Collins with Navtej Randhawa at Indian Newslink office on April 30, 2021
Coromandel MP (Spokesperson for Environment, Workplace Relations and RMA-Environment) Scott Simpson, Tamaki MP Simon O’Connor (Customs, Arts, Culture & Heritage and Associate Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs), Botany MP Christopher Luxon (Local Government, Maori Development and Associate Spokesperson for Transport) and Party President Peter Goodfellow spoke of the strong and growing relations between National and the Indian community and their special bond with Indian Newslink and agreed on the need to work even closer for the common good.
Message for South Asian communities
Later, in a special video message to the members of the South Asian communities and people of Indian origin from Fiji, Ms Collins described them as partners in the economic success of New Zealand.
“The National Party acknowledges your achievements and respects your values which are our values. The National Party will always be there for you,” she said.
National Party President Peter Goodfellow and Leader Judith Collins with Ravi Nyayapati at Indian Newslink office on April 30, 2021
A stern and strong leader
Judith Collins is a stern, no-nonsense leader, who has proved her mettle as a Minister of the Crown holding a wide range of portfolios- 14 of them- during the John Key and Bill English governments between 2008 and 2017. She is also proving to be a sensible and practical Leader of the Opposition, not too quick to condemn everything the government does.
Pictures for Indian Newslink by Narendra Bedekar, Creative Eye Fotographics.