Earlier this year, our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) travelled around the country, hosting roadshows in Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington.
At these events, we announced a new initiative to stay connected and engaged with the regions, called the Regional Initiative for Ethnic Communities Empowerment (RIECE).
RIECE is all about building stronger relationships with Ethnic Communities outside the big cities. It's a chance for Ethnic Communities around the country to learn about the Ministry's new direction, connect with government agencies and each other, and discuss the issues that matter most to them.
On Thursday, 28 November 2024, we held our inaugural RIECE event in Palmerston North with approximately 50 representatives from ethnic community organisations.
Our Deputy Chief Executive, Malcolm Foo, opened the event by outlining the Ministry’s refreshed priorities and our renewed approach to working closely with Ethnic Communities in more remote areas.
"Our first RIECE forum showed us that bringing communities together with government agencies, service providers, and each other to collectively discuss and solve issues meets a real need in the regions. We heard your feedback loud and clear and will continue to bring this programme to other parts of the country," says Malcolm.
The event featured panel discussions on three key topics:
- Employment and immigration
- Equitable access to services
- Ethnic businesses.
These discussions allowed participants to ask questions, engage with experts, and interact directly with representatives from both central and local government, as well as non-governmental organisations. The panels provided a platform for exploring regional challenges and opportunities, and for building understanding between Ethnic Communities and government agencies.
Key points discussed during the sessions included:
- Immigration policy changes, recognition of overseas qualifications, refugee support, and migrant worker exploitation.
- Building community confidence in reporting crimes or exploitation of migrant workers to authorities.
- Regulatory compliance assistance for ethnic businesses, and the challenges for retaining international graduates.
We extend our gratitude to all the agencies that supported the event, including Palmerston North City Council, Welcoming Communities, Ministry for Social Development, Manawatu Multicultural Council, New Zealand Police, Inland Revenue Department, Immigration New Zealand, and Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment.
We plan to hold more RIECE events across New Zealand, continuing to build stronger connections between Ethnic Communities and government agencies. Follow us on social media for updates on upcoming events.
