1 October 2025
Mohan Dutta
Sent by
email t
o [FYI request #32213 email]
Kia ora Mohan
Response to your official information request (our ref: SRC0326126)
I refer to your official information request received on 3 September 2025 for the following
information:
1. Kindly supply how much funding has been awarded to the Diwali event between 2017 and 2025.
2. Kindly supply the details of how the Diwali event is designed, run and managed.
3. Kindly supply the minutes of the meetings to discuss the Diwali event between 2017 and 2025.
4. Is there a community advisory group that guides the council on the event?
5. Who sits on the community advisory group?
6. What organizations are represented on the community advisory group?
7. How is the composition of the advisory group decided?
8. Has the Council received complaints about caste discrimination and racism around the Diwali
event?
9. What are the restrictions related to food trucks for the Diwali event?
10. How are these restrictions decided?
11. Has the Council received feedback about the discriminatory nature of these restrictions?
12. How does it respond to such feedback or complaints?
13. If there have been complaints raised, how has the Council addressed them?
14. What is the Council's position on funding other religious events from the South Asian
communities?
Our response
Our Venues and Events Partnership Manager provides the fol owing information:
1. How much funding has been awarded to the Diwali event between 2017 and 2025?
Prior to 2020, funding was provided through the Celebrating Communities Fund to groups to host
Diwali events. Since 2020, Council have hosted and managed the events, alongside the Diwali
organising committee. Since 2018, we have provided the fol owing funding for Diwali events:
Year
Funding source
$ Amount
2018
Celebrating Communities Fund
2,000
Celebrating Communities Fund
2,250
2019
Operational funding
9,500
2020
Celebrating Communities Fund
6,056
Operational funding (cancel ed due to COVID-19
2021
30,000
restrictions)
2022
Operational funding
30,000
2023
Operational funding
30,000
2024
Operational funding
30,000
2025
Operational funding
30,000
2. Supply the details of how the Diwali event is designed, run and managed:
The Diwali Mela event in Palmerston North is designed, run and managed through a community-
led planning framework supported by the Palmerston North City Council, particularly through our
Events and the Community Development teams.
•
Design – the event is co-designed by a volunteer-based Diwali Mela Committee, made up
of representatives from a wide range of local cultural groups. Together, the committee
and Council officers develop a shared vision for the event, which is then used to design
and implement an event plan that is authentic, inclusive, and cultural y relevant. This
approach aligns with key community development principles such as empowerment,
participation and equity, ensuring the event reflects the values and traditions of the
communities that celebrate Diwali.
•
Management – Council provides logistical and strategic support, while the committee
leads the cultural and community engagement aspects. The planning process is
intentionally structured to identify gaps in representation and actively seek out
community connectors and leaders to join the committee. This ensures the event remains
dynamic and responsive to the evolving cultural landscape of Palmerston North.
•
Current committee composition – the advisory group currently includes representatives
from the Bhutanese Omkar Trust, Bhutanese Society of New Zealand, Central District
Indian Association Inc, Malaysian Community, Manawatu Hindu Society, Manawatu
Indian Woman’s Group, Manawatu Multicultural Council, Manawatu Telugu Association,
Satsang Mandali, Shree Dance Academy, Palmy Mitra Mandali, Punjabi Community, UCOL
– Nepalese Students.
•
Ongoing engagement – the committee is continual y working to connect with
communities who celebrate Diwali but are not yet represented, using various strategies
to identify the right individuals who can authentically represent these groups. This
ensures the event remains inclusive and reflective of Palmerston North’s rich cultural
diversity, while fostering deeper community connections and capacity building.
3. Supply the minutes of the meetings to discuss the Diwali event between 2017 and 2025:
Extension required
The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 requires that we advise you of
our decision on your request no later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are therefore writing to notify
you of an extension of the time to make our decision to
17 October 2025. However, if we can
respond prior to this date, we will do so.
This extension is necessary because the information requested has necessitated a search through
a large quantity of information and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere
with the operations of the Council.
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4. Is there a community advisory group that guides the council on the event?
Yes. Please refer to our response for question 2 for further information.
5. Who sits on the community advisory group?
Please refer to our response for question 2.
6. What organizations are represented on the community advisory group?
Please refer to our response for question 2.
7. How is the composition of the advisory group decided?
The Diwali Mela Committee is a volunteer-based advisory group formed to guide the planning and
delivery of Palmerston North’s Diwali celebrations. Its composition is shaped through a
community development approach, where existing committee members work alongside the
Events and Community Development teams to ensure the group reflects the diversity and needs
of the local community. The planning process is designed to act on what matters locally,
identifying gaps in representation and actively seeking out community connectors and leaders to
join the committee. This inclusive method not only enhances the cultural relevance of the Diwali
Mela but also builds community capacity, fostering deeper understanding, connection, and where
needed, positive change.
In keeping with community development principles, the committee is constantly looking for ways
to connect with communities who celebrate Diwali but are not yet represented. This involves
trying different strategies to identify the right individuals who can authentical y represent these
groups. By doing so, the committee ensures the event remains inclusive and reflective of
Palmerston North’s rich cultural landscape, while empowering more voices to be part of the
shared vision for Diwali.
8. Has the Council received complaints about caste discrimination and racism around the Diwali
event?
We do not hold any complaints about discrimination and racism regarding Diwali events.
9. What are the restrictions related to food trucks for the Diwali event?
Between 2020 to 2024, food truck vendors at the Diwali Mela were required to offer a vegetarian
menu, with allowances for eggs and dairy, as the committee considered these inclusive within the
vegetarian definition. Additionally, full-sugar beverages were not permitted, in alignment with
Palmerston North City Council’s Healthy Beverage Policy, which promoted sugar-free drink
options at Council-supported events.
In 2025, the Healthy Beverage Policy was amended and full-sugar drinks are now permitted at the
event. The Diwali Mela Committee continues to uphold the vegetarian food requirement,
although we have now determined no eggs are allowed to be present in any food offering, viewing
it as a way to ensure cultural inclusivity and respect for the diverse dietary practices of the
communities involved. These guidelines are part of the committee’s broader commitment to
creating an event that is authentic, inclusive, and culturally relevant, while also supporting
community wel being.
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We do acknowledge that, globally, Diwali is not exclusively observed as a vegetarian event. The
community development approach to event planning informs our approach to event planning,
particularly in relation to catering and cultural representation. While efforts are made to respect
and reflect the diverse traditions associated with Diwali (including dietary preferences) we aim to
ensure that food offerings are inclusive and culturally appropriate. The decision to present the
Diwali Mela event as vegetarian has been made by the Diwali Mela Committee. This process has
been in place since 2021. This decision is not made independently by Council.
10. How are these restrictions decided?
Food truck restrictions for the Diwali Mela are determined through a collaborative process led by
the Diwali Mela Committee, in partnership with our Events and Community Development teams.
These decisions are guided by community development principles, aiming to ensure the event is
inclusive, culturally respectful, and supportive of community wellbeing.
To maintain variety and cultural relevance, the committee reviews all food truck applications to
ensure they meet the established criteria. This includes checking for compliance with dietary
requirements and assessing the overall mix of offerings to avoid duplication and ensure a diverse
range of food options.
11. Has the Council received feedback about the discriminatory nature of these restrictions?
We do not hold any formal or written feedback or complaints about the ‘discriminatory nature’ of
these restrictions. Please refer to our response to question 12 for details about verbal complaints
regarding the inclusion of eggs in food menu options.
12. How does it respond to such feedback or complaints?
We have an internal process where questions or issues raised are logged. During the 2024 Diwali
Mela, three verbal complaints were received on the day by officers regarding the inclusion of eggs
in food menu options. The officers responded by explaining that the Diwali Mela Committee (a
community-led advisory group) had made a collective decision to adopt a vegetarian menu
inclusive of eggs and dairy, rather than a vegan menu. This decision was based on the committee’s
view that such an approach was more inclusive and culturally appropriate for the diverse
communities involved.
The officers also encouraged the individuals to become part of the planning process for future
events. They were invited to join the Diwali Mela Committee for 2025 and contribute to
discussions and decisions around food and cultural representation. Anyone interested in
participating was advised to contact us and express their interest in being part of the Diwali
Planning Committee. This approach reflects the event’s commitment to community development
principles, including participation, empowerment, and equity, ensuring that decisions are made
collaboratively and transparently.
13. If there have been complaints raised, how has the Council addressed them?
Please refer to our response to questions 11 and 12.
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14. What is the Council's position on funding other religious events from the South Asian
communities?
We provide support for cultural events that promote inclusion, understanding, and community
connection. The Diwali Mela event is framed and delivered as a cultural celebration, designed to
share stories, traditions, and experiences with the wider community.
Our support for Diwali is rooted in community development principles, aiming to:
• Increase visibility and recognition of South Asian Subcontinent ethnic communities in
Palmerston North.
• Increase the visibility and recognition of the other regions with significant celebration
inclusive of (but not limited to); Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Indonesia.
• Strengthen social cohesion and tolerance by acknowledging and celebrating different
cultural perspectives and values.
• Develop cultural awareness and respect through engagement with diverse beliefs,
customs, and traditions.
Through events like the Diwali Mela, Council creates pathways for the broader community to better
understand who these cultural groups are and why Diwali is celebrated, fostering a more inclusive and
connected city. This approach ensures that public funding is used to support events that build
community capacity and celebrate cultural diversity.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800
802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Douglas Collis
Legal Officer
Āpiha Ture
Official Information Team
Legal Services
Palmerston North City Council
Te Marae o Hine − 32 The Square
Private Bag 11034, Palmerston North 4442
06 356 8199
pncc.govt.nz
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