Below is an email that I just sent to MP Princa Radhakrishnan
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Te Rata Hikairo
Wed 11/11/2020 11:16 PM
Tena Koe Priyanca
DIWALI AS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY
I write to you, first unsure if you are aware of the call for Diwali to become a Public Holiday on New Zealand.
I wish to express that although, I could see myself finding enjoyment in it, I am unsure if there is a wide appetite amongst the Wider New Zealand Public for this. And if it was even widely consulted on, I quite frankly fear that it may elevate Anti-Hindu sentiments that may be latent in some sectors of our Society.
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As such, something that MIGHT ACTUALLY get more support is a bill that
- Created (If it is not yet already explicitly stated in the Law) a type of paid leave, where someone can go to attend an event of Significant Religious Or Significant Cultural significance for them
- Possibly that a fund be created to support this
- A provision in that Bill that an Employer might maybe even be able to apply to that fund, the purpose of which would be to reimburse a percentage of the wage they'd pay that day, but only if the Employer suffered a loss for paying that wage
The rationale for Employers being that;
If an Employer takes care of the Wellbeing of the Employee then the Employee is going to be more productive overall.
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Anyone that attended a Diwali function for example, would need only to take a Diwali Celebration Invitation that then gets attached to their leave application as evidence, so they can they be paid while still attending.
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AGAIN, Only if this or something like this DOES NOT Yet exist in the Law, would it need to be written up and Proposed.
It could also of course be used too, by Sikhs for Vaisakhi and Muslims for Eid. But also, things that specific Iwi even celebrate that others might not, they too, could also see benefit in a bill like this. So it could end up benefitiing an even wider range of people.
Potentially, a person might even be eligible for maybe 3 - 5 days (that can be consulted on)....
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But yes, I see this as a Great Compromise that might get a greater uptake by people and get the support of a wider cross section of New Zealanders.
TeRata Rangi Boldy
