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Rajen Prasad
QSO
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Labour Party list
In office
2008–2014
Personal details
Born1947 (age 77–78)
Suva, Fiji
NationalityFiji
New Zealand
Political partyLabour
Children2
ProfessionSocial worker, academic

Rajen Prasad QSO (born 1947[1]) is a New Zealand academic and politician. He was a Member of the House of Representatives for the Labour Party from 2008 to 2014.

Early life and education

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Prasad was born in Suva, Fiji in 1947 and is of Indo-Fijian descent.[1][2][3] His paternal grandparents were migrated from India to Fiji as indentured laborers where they became tobacco farmers. His father was a transport operator. The eleventh of fourteen children, he grew up trilingual speaking English, Hindi and Fijian.[4][5]

Prasad moved to Auckland, New Zealand as a teenager, recalling his arrival date of 21 April 1964 in his parliamentary maiden speech.[5] New Zealand was not particularly multicultural then, and Prasad said that he and his family were affected by racism and discrimination, like not being able to find rental accommodation.[6][7] As a young man, he briefly went by the name "Harry," believing that his first name was too difficult for New Zealanders to pronounce, before reverting.[8]

He was taught by the Marist Brothers in Fiji[9] and completed secondary education in New Zealand at Seddon Memorial High School (now Western Springs College). He studied education and anthropology at the University of Auckland and trained as a social worker at Victoria University of Wellington.[10] In 1979 he was appointed to a post at Massey University, and completed his PhD on foster care worker training in 1986.[11]

Prasad and his wife Prem, a primary school teacher, have two children.[5]

Career

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Prasad was a social worker before becoming a Massey University associate professor and director of the social work and social policy programme. He led the university's Albany campus during its establishment in 1993.[5][12][13]

He was Race Relations Conciliator between 1996 and 2001.[14] Prasad came into the race relations office at a period of heightened tension; his predecessor John Clarke had relocated the office from Auckland to Wellington and a parliamentary select committee found that public perception was Clarke had given priority to Māori complaints over other ethnic groups.[15] Prasad's view was that, although he "strongly supported" the Treaty of Waitangi, the Human Rights Act did not tell the race relations office to prioritise Māori; the Māori affairs minister Tau Henare criticised his approach (promoting multiculturalism) as "undermining" to Māori.[16][17]

Midway through his term, Prasad reported to Parliament that the number of complaints to his office had risen and that he was concerned about talkback radio hosts, cartoons, and letters to the editor that took "a racial slant" or encouraged the ridiculing of other cultures "under the guise of freedom of speech."[18] He further reported that increasing numbers of Pacific Island and Asian migrants coincided with the rising visibility of fascist groups.[19] However, visiting counterparts from the United Kingdom and Australia said New Zealand was ahead of other nations on race relations.[20][21]

In 2000, Prasad issued a special report into police racism and historic racism toward Māori in Taranaki, following a shooting.[22] His criticism of health legislation proposed by the new Labour-led government for appearing to give "special treatment" to Māori led to an apparent rift between him and the government.[23] When his five-year term ended, Prasad said he was disappointed in the level of government funding and support his office had received.[24] In May 2001, government minister Margaret Wilson confirmed previously reported plans to consolidate the race relations office with the Human Rights Commission, which were implemented later that year.[25][26][27] Prasad returned to academia at Massey University.[13] He was also appointed a member of the Residence Appeal Authority, which made decisions about appeals brought under the Immigration Act.

In June 2004 Prasad was appointed as the first Chief Commissioner of the newly established Families Commission, serving until 2008.[14] He accompanied the prime minister, Helen Clark, on a diplomatic visit to India in 2004.[28] Prasad was criticised for approving a confidential payout to the outgoing chief executive of the Families Commission without informing the government, for which he apologised.[29] As the chief commissioner, he publicly supported the repeal of the legal defence allowing parents to use reasonable force to punish their children and for increased paid parental leave.[30][31] At his retirement from the Commission in 2008, he was rumoured to be in line to stand for Labour in that year's election.[32]

He joined the board of the Bank of Baroda's New Zealand office in 2008[33] and became the board chair in 2013.[34] He remained a director of the Bank until 2016.[35]

Member of Parliament

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2008–2011 49th List 12 Labour
2011–2014 50th List 20 Labour

Prasad was a list-only candidate for the Labour Party on two occasions. At the 2008 election Prasad was ranked 12, the highest-placed new candidate, and was subsequently elected to Parliament. In the 2011 election, Prasad was re-elected, albeit at a lower list placing of 20. He had sought the party's nomination to stand in Te Atatu in 2011,[36] but was unsuccessful.

Prasad sat on the social services committee throughout his two terms as a member of Parliament. He was Labour's spokesperson on the voluntary and community sector (2008–11), ethnic affairs (2011–13) and immigration (2013–14) and an associate spokesperson on ethnic affairs (2008–11, 2013–14) and social development (2008–14).[37] He was believed to have supported David Cunliffe in the 2011 and 2013 Labour Party leadership contests.[38][39]

As a member of Parliament, he argued against the National Government's reforms to the Families Commission, which he described as cynical,[40] voted against appointing an anti-abortion doctor to the Abortion Supervisory Committee,[41] voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage,[42] and said he would not vote in the 2009 New Zealand child discipline referendum.[43] He was also an advocate for ethnic communities and immigrants. However, Prasad was seen by media as being ineffectual and unlikely to be appointed to a ministerial office if Labour were to win an election. For each of the three years from 2011 to 2013, political newsletter Trans Tasman rated his performance 1/10;[44][45][46] a November 2013 Dominion Post editorial suggested that he be told not to run again;[47] The New Zealand Herald reported he only issued a single press release that year.[48]

In May 2014, Prasad announced his plans to retire ahead of the general election in September 2014.[3][49] In his valedictory speech, given on 24 July, he commented on the limitations on the effectiveness and perceptions of ethnic MPs in the "largely monocultural" New Zealand Parliament:[50]

It is noteworthy that all the ethnic MPs in this Parliament are backbenchers with fairly low conventional profiles. Those who report on us and judge us are never present where we do the bulk of our work, and all they rely on is what is in the mainstream media or this House. I say this not with any acrimony towards those who make these judgments, but more with a sense of sadness.

After leaving Parliament, Prasad was appointed a Commonwealth Envoy with special responsibility for Lesotho working directly in Africa to help develop better political practices.[51][52]

Honours

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In the 2003 New Year Honours, Prasad was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.[53]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Interview with Rajen Prasad". Interview with Rajen Prasad. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  2. ^ Back Benches (29 April 2009). "Back Benches–episode 13" (video). TVNZ. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Indian-origin MP in New Zealand, Rajen Prasad to retire in September". news.biharprabha.com. Indo-Asian News Service. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  4. ^ Grigg, Joanna (1 June 1998). "More Than a Firefighter". For A Change. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d "Maiden Statements". New Zealand Parliament. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  6. ^ Fogarty, Chris (11 February 1996). "New conciliator wants to emphasise the positive". The Sunday Star-Times. pp. A6.
  7. ^ "Family 'chuffed' with Prasad's award". The Dominion Post. 31 December 2002. pp. A4.
  8. ^ Eriksen, Alanah (17 September 2012). "Name changes anger MP". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  9. ^ Prasad, Rajen (20 October 2010). "Christ's College (Canterbury) Amendment Bill — In Committee, Procedure, Third Reading".
  10. ^ "Interview with Rajen Prasad". Interview with Rajen Prasad. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  11. ^ Prasad, Rajen (1986). Transitions in foster care : the development of training programmes for foster care workers (Doctoral thesis). Massey Research Online, Massey University. hdl:10179/3582.
  12. ^ Trevett, Claire (19 January 2009). "New Voices: Rahui Katene, Michael Woodhouse, Rajen Prasad". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Race relations chief roasts Govt apathy". The New Zealand Herald. 1 March 2001. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Families Commissioners appointed". The Beehive. 23 June 2004. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  15. ^ Newth, Kim (11 February 1996). "We're all responsible says race conciliator". Sunday News. p. 9.
  16. ^ Ventner, Nick (22 June 1999). "Race office attacked by Henare". The Press. p. 3.
  17. ^ Keene, Howard (29 June 1999). "Office for all ethnic groups, says Prasad". The Press. p. 1.
  18. ^ "Race relations causing concern - Prasad". The Dominion. 20 March 1998. p. 2.
  19. ^ Bain, Helen (16 December 1998). "Fascist groups now more visible, says race watchdog". The Dominion. p. 2.
  20. ^ Crean, Mike (6 May 1999). "NZ race relations 'ahead of UK'". The Press. p. 7.
  21. ^ Samson, Alan (8 May 1999). "Kiwi race relations could be `blueprint'". The Dominion. p. 2.
  22. ^ "Taranaki race rift healing 'urgent'". The New Zealand Herald. 20 September 2000. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  23. ^ Alley, Oskar (1 November 2000). "Race Relations Office could be in for the axe". The Dominion. p. 2.
  24. ^ "Race relations chief roasts Govt apathy". The New Zealand Herald. 1 March 2001. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  25. ^ "Axe race relations office, Govt told". The New Zealand Herald. 30 October 2000. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  26. ^ "Decisions point the way to a new Human Rights law later this year". The Beehive. 31 May 2001. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  27. ^ "Human Rights Amendment Act 2001". New Zealand Legislation. 19 September 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  28. ^ "Helen Clark arrives in India". The New Zealand Herald. 17 October 2004. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  29. ^ Young, Audrey (4 May 2005). "Families Commissioner loses pay rise". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  30. ^ Thomson, Ainsley (14 June 2005). "Smacking bill gets Government nod". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  31. ^ "Call for 13 months paid parental leave". The New Zealand Herald. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  32. ^ Collins, Simon; Collins, Simon (22 August 2008). "Summit with something for all". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  33. ^ McBeth, Paul (1 September 2009). "Bank of Baroda to open in NZ". Stuff.co.nz. Business Wire. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  34. ^ Newslink, Indian (14 May 2013). "Rajen Prasad appointed Bank of Baroda Chairman". indiannewslink.co.nz. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  35. ^ "Companies Register". New Zealand Companies Office. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  36. ^ "Nine nominations for Carter's seat". The New Zealand Herald. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  37. ^ Prasad, Rajen - New Zealand Parliament, retrieved 2 April 2025
  38. ^ Trevett, Claire (19 November 2012). "Cunliffe down but not out". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  39. ^ "Cunliffe wins Labour leadership". Stuff. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  40. ^ Prasad, Rajen (9 April 2013). "Families Commission Amendment Bill (second reading)". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  41. ^ Cheng, Derek (7 April 2011). "Rare personal vote on abortion post". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  42. ^ "Gay marriage bill: How MPs voted". The New Zealand Herald. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  43. ^ Trevett, Claire (31 July 2009). "Referendum waste of time, say MPs". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  44. ^ "Roll Call 2011" (PDF). Trans Tasman. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  45. ^ "Roll Call 2012" (PDF). Trans Tasman. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  46. ^ "Roll Call 2013" (PDF). Trans Tasman. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  47. ^ "Editorial: Cunliffe needs to have cleanout too". Stuff. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  48. ^ "The Insider: Flights of fancy". The New Zealand Herald. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  49. ^ "MP Rajen Prasad retires". The Global Indian. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  50. ^ Prasad, Rajen (24 July 2014). "Valedictory statement". New Zealand Parliament.
  51. ^ "Special Envoy for Lesotho Releases Guidelines on Coalition Formation". Commonwealth. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  52. ^ "Commonwealth warns coalition government". Lesotho Times. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  53. ^ "New Year honours list 2003". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2002. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
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