Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust funding round now open

8 February 2017

Members of the public are invited to apply to the current funding round of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust before applications close on 31 March 2017.

The Trust chairman, Mr Peter Chin, urges people to make application for proposals that support the aims of the Trust

The Trust distributes up to $150,000 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.

Recent funding from the Trust has supported commissioned works from selected writers and researchers to produce histories of New Zealand’s Chinese laundries and churches.

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

Ends

Media contact: media@dia.govt.nz or 027 535 8639

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.

Trustees
The CPTHT has eight trustees, all of whom are descended from original poll tax payers. Current members of the Trust are:

Peter Chin (Chair)
Virginia Chong
Esther Fung
Stanley King
Justine Kohing
Richard Leung
Kai-Shek Luey
Susan Wong (Finance and Investment Committee Chair)

Chinese ethnicity in New Zealand
There are approximately 171,400 people of Chinese ethnic origin in New Zealand, around 4.3% of our population.
The ethnic Chinese population in New Zealand grew by 7% in the seven years since the previous 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 ending April 2015, there were 302,128 Chinese visitor arrivals in New Zealand.

Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and www.chinatoolkit.co.nz/