1. My father, his siblings, his parents and his grandmother were refugees into Hong Kong in 1949 after the Communists revolted. So I grew up hearing stories about the hardships that refugee families endure. There is an issue with integration and jobs. If we get both wrong, then this potentially becomes a social problem. There is an added dimension in Wellington, where our refugees are unlikely to be of the same race as the majority—so they confront racism and prejudice. On that note, I certainly have confronted my fair share first-hand.

2. Wellington needs to signal that it is prepared to be a multicultural society. One of the many reasons I am standing is to break a glass ceiling: to finally highlight that this city does not care what colour or creed you are if you seek to be its mayor and its advocate. From day one I have tried to be the most inclusive person I can—which is why I learned so many languages and travelled so widely.

The specific measures would be (a) a proper outreach to all refugee groups, through liaising with them and working with them. When my family first arrived in Wellington in 1976, it was the personal intervention of Sir Frank and Lady Kitts that helped us integrate into society. Sir Frank even fought to get my Mum’s pay (she was a nurse) at the WHB sorted out. (b) I would create a mentoring programme to them to help them into our economy. I’ve already said I would do this for entrepreneurs and I see no reason such a programme should not be extended to our newest arrivals, who need our help the most. We could ask business leaders, or we could lobby Grow Wellington to assist us. (c) The plight of refugees is often ignored and racism often arises through media who refuse to focus on names that sound unusual. Let’s change that, by highlighting different groups of Wellingtonians through the circulars that the WCC currently prints. (There’s no reason this doesn’t go online, as well.) The more exposure different Wellingtonians get, the more we integrate, and the more integrated we feel. It’s worth it for the social benefits we gain.

3. I’m the son of a refugee. I was at school with children of refugees. Ever since I was a kid, I would befriend people from overseas, refugees or not. Maybe it was Sir Frank’s example, but I always wanted to make people feel welcome in Wellington. Outside my family, I have met numerous refugees, especially those who have started their own businesses, through the course of my career. I found their stories inspiring. I also realize they are the lucky ones who, through perseverence, got to where they are. I also know that if we all had those same opportunities, we can all excel. That’s what I want to deliver for Wellington: creating opportunities. So, unlike Mr O’Donovan, I have not directly worked with refugee groups at a formal sense, but I’ve learned so many of the lessons of the refugee experience through my whole lifetime. I’ve absorbed them into the way I see the world and the way I do things.

What we must remember is that we should never condescend to refugees, because, if we found ourselves in similar situations, we might not be as resilient. They’ve proven their mettle by losing everything they know—and they deserve respect for their hardship and dignity, from which we can learn.