Responses from Andy Cranston

Hi Arish, Thank you for the opportunity. I am extremely comfortable with Gisborne developing as a diverse culture. I really enjoy the contribution of the current diversity we are enjoying. I am very aware through the Citizenship ceremonies many cultures our great place is attracting. This is enriching Gisborne. My vision is that we continue to be welcoming and accepting and the growth and development of Gisborne advantages all cultures equally. Firstly we ensure that the Council as an organisation is and remains absolutely non discriminatory. We should recognise the benefits and wealth of being a diverse culture and not unfairly favour any one cultural group over another. As chair of the Creative Communities Grants committee I have been pleased to see applications for funding come through from a range of Cultures and I believe we have been supportive to many in distributing grant funding for the benefit of the “fringe” cultures Most of that support has been for programmes which showcase the richness of those cultures to the wider public. 3. As Chair of Community Development I like to see use of the Public Forum section of our monthly meetings made available to any Community focused discussion and often this is a presentation from a cultural sector. I love to hear what is going on and as these are public meetings attended by the press this is often an opportunity for organisations to to promote and educate our populace, which supports your mission. I have travelled really extensively throughout the world and lived in several cultures and I try to see things from the perspective of others. 4 We (as a community) are still a way from absolute acceptance of other cultures. This of course is an international problem. One of the biggest threats is always those (minority I hope) with no sympathy or understanding being antisocial or discriminatory against cultures other than their own which leads to mistrust. As I believe we have responsibilities to be enabling a safer community, we must always be diligent with this responsibility and fight discrimination. 5 We must grow and develop Tairawhiti as a fantastic place to live work and play. Our biggest issue is jobs. The best attraction is the opportunity offered through being able to provide those jobs that attract a diverse and vibrant culture. We must be welcoming and supportive. A big driver here will be the positive experiences and satisfaction of those already settled here and their feedback to friends and relatives not yet resettled. Doing everything we can to guarantee a high level of satisfaction in their news homes will be a significant driver Thank you for the opportunity to address your questions. Kind regards Andy Cranston