The Ministry for Ethnic Communities is a separate Ministry but operates as a departmental agency with the Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua as the host agency.
Our part of the Annual Report is available below Or you can read via PDF.
You can read the full Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua Annual Report.
On this page
2023/24 Highlights
Ethnic Research Hui 2023
Key components of the inaugural hui included a panel discussion with distinguished experts, presentations on research and evaluation, and interactive discussions within five essential streams. The discussions covered the following topics:
Connecting communities in the times of conflict
In November 2023, we established a dedicated team to support community-led initiatives promoting stronger social bonds amidst the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Chief Executive's foreword
Kupu Takamua a te tumu whakarae
It’s my pleasure to introduce this year’s Annual Report for the third year of our Ministry. Our Ministry’s aim is to make every New Zealander feel safe and valued for their contributions.
As we reflect on the past year, our Ministry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amidst significant internal and external changes.
The 2023/24 year has seen a change in government, public service cuts, an increased cost of living and the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.
The change of government brought shifts to our priorities and direction. Our ability to realign our strategies and operations ensured that we continued to effectively discharge our role as the Government’s chief advisor for ethnic diversity and serve our communities.
We engaged proactively with the new Government, articulating the needs and aspirations of our Ethnic Communities and securing their support for our initiatives.
The impact of public service cuts presented another challenge. Nevertheless, our teams displayed ingenuity and dedication, finding innovative ways to maximise our resources and ensure continuity in our programmes. We streamlined our processes and prioritised key initiatives, supported by the Ministry’s culture of collaboration.
We remained focused on continuing our role, brokering dialogue between our communities and government agencies and supporting our communities.
The Middle East conflict has deeply affected many within our Ethnic Communities, especially those with ties to the region. In response, we intensified our efforts to support and nurture social cohesion.
Our initiatives (such as safe spaces for dialogue, community-led projects funded through the Ethnic Communities Development Fund, and wellbeing workshops) have helped our communities navigate these difficult times.
These efforts have also strengthened the bonds of understanding and solidarity across different cultural groups in New Zealand.
Despite the challenges, we achieved several important milestones, including organising the first Ethnic Research Hui and the second Ministerial Business Roundtable and producing valuable resources in different languages for the public service and our communities.
I want to thank our team for their dedication and professionalism. I also thank all our public agency partners and community stakeholders for their ongoing support and collaboration.
With everyone’s contribution, we will continue to build an inclusive, cohesive and resilient society for all New Zealanders.
Mervin Singham
Chief Executive
Ministry for Ethnic Communities – Te Tari Mātāwaka
* Ethnic Communities refer to the Ministry’s remit, which includes people in New Zealand who identify as African, Asian, Continental European, Latin-American and Middle Eastern. They include former refugees, asylum seekers, new and temporary migrants, long-term settlers and multi-generational New Zealanders.