Mahesh Bindra – 
Congratulations on your first sixteen years of publication.
In these 16 years, you have become a mainstay on New Zealand’s ethnic media stage – well done!
As a new Member of Parliament, I have particularly enjoyed how Indian Newslink has grasped the concept of news stewardship.
It has been wonderful to see that you have kept successive governments and bureaucrats honest – you have held them to account on behalf of the Kiwi Indian community and this is how it should be.
This is not all you do, however, and this is what has made Indian Newslink top class – you instinctively share the news of our community.
You have a winning mix of politics, news and human interest stories.
Thank you.
Long-term politics
As a pillar in the ethnic media community you have handled mainstream politics well – and this is part of our culture.
As Kiwi Indians we are in a unique position of living in New Zealand – a democratic society that uses a proportional representation in Parliament – for we come from the largest democracy in the world and we have been practising politics for a very long time.
We have some of the best political thinkers, strategists and philosophers in the world. And we have brought that to our new home, New Zealand.
Pioneering strategists
From the first and best strategist, Lord Krishna started the trend that India has continued to exhibit and enjoy through other pioneers such as Chanakya, Purniya Pandit and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, to name a few.
They were successful and many modern leaders study and follow their teachings.
This is because their philosophies, strategies and processes are so good, and now considered mainstream around the world where once they were seen as alternative.
Mainstream politics is the politics of the people and this is where New Zealand First sits. Our politics align with the people.
Media in boxes
Labelling ethnic media as such presents a problem in itself because interestingly it is putting media in boxes when really it is part of mainstream media catering to a particular group of people, such as farming papers.
So do we need to put media into boxes and by calling this reputable newspaper as a part of the ethnic media box, is that therefore taking it out of the mainstream?
Doesn’t putting media in boxes and labelling it open up the risk of belittling that particular medium? Does it perpetuate the idea that ethnic equates to a minority; does it subconsciously lead to continued treatment of those it caters for as an ethnic minority?
Should we not therefore, refer to all newspapers as print media and empower them all to have a voice and therefore give all New Zealanders the voice they all deserve in politics?
If one is covering mainstream politics, then is one not mainstream media?
Elevated status
Media has a place in politics and its place is to share the news of what is happening in Parliament, provide unbalanced reporting on issues affecting New Zealanders, and communicate the policies of the parties who have been elected to represent the people.
All of which Indian Newslink does very well and all media should be doing so.
Unfortunately, however, they do not, and I am very proud of the fact that a newspaper owned and operated by Kiwi Indians is doing what it should.
Politics is a part of our culture and Indian Newslink proves that.
Mahesh Bindra is a Member of Parliament on New Zealand First Party List since September 2014. He is the Party’s Spokesman for Corrections, Ethnic Affairs and Customs.
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