Kabayan Monina Hernandez, running under the NZ Labour Party in East Coast Bays Auckland, is a Massey University lecturer where she leads teaching teams across three campuses and is a clinical nurse specialist for infection prevention and control tackling CoViD 19 in New Zealand.
If there was any defining moment that marked you for a career of public service what would it be?
Here in New Zealand, that defining moment was when someone attempted to bully me years ago. It happened my early years as an immigrant. My job security was threatened and racism was involved. It felt like a do-or-die situation because I had dependent children. I told the bully that I will never let them rob me or my children of hope for a better future. So I fought and I won, an incident giving me the strength to speak up not just for myself but for other nurses. After that, it just became natural for me to be the support person of nurses who are being bullied. Then, I was elected director of the nurses’ union – the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Then membership in the Labour Party came in 2016. So I stand here with a purpose, to be a loud voice for the vulnerable and to fight for equity.
How long have you wanted to serve in government?
This desire to serve did not just happen at that time. I’ve always been interested in politics and how it impacts health even when I was still in the Philippines. I have a history of fighting for social justice in the Philippines, having worked among indigenous communities, rural and urban poor, organizing students and unionizing underpaid health workers.
How does your experience help you to do your job, if elected, in Parliament?
I came face to face with inequity in New Zealand when I worked as a hospital nurse between 2010 – 2016, I was really surprised because social welfare has always been an important part of the society. However, I also realized that prioritization of social welfare is dependent on the government in power. It just felt really sad because I had requests from new mothers to have their babies bathed before discharge for the reason that they have no warm water from the tap and they do not have adequate heating at home. I have had patients who requested to be given extra nappies, beanies, and baby sweaters because they cannot afford them. I also cared for young mothers who have nowhere to go home to after having a baby. You see, these experiences hit home and continue to inspire me to work for better services and policies.
For your interest groups, your constituents and the Pinoy community, when elected, what in a nutshell is your vision?
My values define my vision and my policy interests lie in health, education, environment, immigration, and ethnic affairs. I envision a New Zealand with stronger public services, more importantly health services that would help us get out of this CoViD crisis; equal opportunities for all, including immigrants; more job opportunities for those out of work; increased support for small businesses and entrepreneurs especially those affected by the pandemic; quality education and better opportunities for training and retraining to support CoViD recovery; environmental protection while ensuring that we get our economy back by focusing on both local businesses and boosting export and global trade deals.
Lastly, what policy would you push for Pinoys on WVs your first few months in Parliament?
I am advocating for a fair, timely and humane immigration policy which is in tune with Labour’s policy. For residents and citizens, this means that they should be reunited with their loved ones while keeping COVID 19 contained. For residents who are stuck offshore, this means that they should be supported to keep their residency status while COVID travel restrictions are in place. For temporary work visa and essential skills visa holders who are overseas and who have strong links with NZ, this means that they should be allowed to return to New Zealand.
thank you very much kabayan Monina, for your vision and energy in representing not only kabayan in Auckland but ALL Filipinos too, whatever status, in all of New Zealand. We hope to hear from our other kabayan presently or soon to be in the New Zealand Parliament, including Paulo Garcia (National, list) and Romy Udanga ( Labour, North Shore) soon. Mabuhay and thank you for reading kabayan!
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