Next funding round / history of Chinese laundries

Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust – next funding round closes on 30 September

Members of the public are invited to apply to the current funding round of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust before applications close on 30 September 2014.

The Trust is also seeking expressions of interest from experienced writers and researchers to produce a history of New Zealand’s Chinese owned and/or operated laundries. Chinese owned and/or operated laundries proliferated in the first half of the twentieth century. They provided a means for Chinese to gain independence and earn a living in New Zealand society.

The Trust Chair, Mr Peter Chin, urges people to spread the word about this project and to encourage writers, researchers, historians and film-makers to submit an expression of interest. “This is an important part of New Zealand’s social history, which needs to be documented for future generations,” says Mr Chin.

The Trust distributes up to $150,000 each year in grants to organisations and individuals through two funding rounds each year. It funds activities that promote the preservation of Chinese New Zealand history and awareness of the contributions of early Chinese settlers, and which provide tangible support for Chinese New Zealanders’ history, language and culture.

Funding from the Trust recently supported the Asia New Zealand Foundation, which held a lantern festival in Christchurch to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the Chinese community’s contribution to Canterbury. A grant also enabled the New Zealand Chinese Association Auckland to hold a four-day youth leadership camp for 40 college-age delegates.

To obtain an application form for funding, or to learn more about the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust and the Chinese laundries’ history project it is commissioning, visit the Community Matters’ website:www.communitymatters.govt.nz or phone 0800 824 824.

ENDS

Media backgrounder

About the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust
The Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust was established in 2004 in recognition of the hardship caused by the poll tax introduced by the Chinese Immigrants Act 1881 and other discriminatory legislation, and is a gesture of goodwill to poll tax payers, their descendants, and future generations.

The Trust aims to create a greater understanding of the Chinese community in New Zealand and to strengthen the unique identity of Chinese New Zealanders.

Board members
Recently, while Minister for Ethnic Affairs, the Hon Judith Collins, made eight three-year appointments to the Trust.

Three new trustees have joined the Trust Board: Virginia Chong (Auckland), Richard Leung (Auckland) and former trustee Kai-Shek Luey (Auckland). Five current trustees were re-appointed. They are: Peter Chin (Dunedin), Esther Fung, (Wellington), Stanley King (Auckland), Justine Kohing (Wellington), and Susan Wong (Auckland). At its first meeting, the Board elected Peter Chin as the Trust Chair.

Chinese ethnicity in New Zealand
There are approximately 171,400 people of Chinese ethnic origin in New Zealand, around 16% of our population.
The ethnic Chinese population in New Zealand has grown by 7% in the seven years since the last census was held, in 2006.
A large proportion of New Zealand’s ethnic Chinese – 69% – live in the Auckland region, and almost 10% live in the Wellington region.
Source: Statistics New Zealand

China’s importance to New Zealand
China is New Zealand's second-largest trading partner, as well as a major source of migrants, students and tourists. China is New Zealand’s fastest growing market for international visitors. In the year ended September 2012, there were around 187,000 Chinese visitors to New Zealand.
Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

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