Ministry for Ethnic Communities

New Zealand Government's principal adviser on ethnic communities

Hon Melissa Lee, Minister for Ethnic Communities

Agency executive

Mervin Singham, Chief Executive

Websitewww.ethniccommunities.govt.nz

The Ministry for Ethnic Communities (Māori: Te Tari Mātāwaka) is an advisory agency to the government on ethnic diversity and inclusion in New Zealand society. The agency provides information, advice and services to ethnic communities, and gives out funds to support community development and social cohesion.

Function

Overview

The government decided to form the Ministry on 2 December 2020 and formally came into existence on 1 July 2021. The origins of the Ministry stem from the Office of Ethnic Affairs, which was established as one part-time officer within the Department of Internal Affairs in 1995. The first permanent director of the Office started in 2004.^[2] The Office was renamed to the Office of Ethnic Communities in 2015.^[3]

The elevation of the Office of Ethnic Communities to a standalone ministry was a recommendation of the Royal Commission into the Christchurch mosque terror attacks.^[4]

Headquarters

The ministry is based in the Grant Thornton building in Wellington, with regional offices in Auckland and Christchurch.^{[citation needed]}

List of chief executives

Chief executives of the Ministry for Ethnic Communities are:

No.	Name	Portrait	Term of office
1	Mervin Singham		July 2021^[5]	present

References

^ "FTE employees by department". Annual Report. Department for Ethinic Communities. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
^ "History of the Ministry for Ethnic Communities" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2024.
^ Herald, NZ (2 March 2015). "Office of Ethnic Affairs renamed". NZ Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
^ "Ministry for Ethnic Communities set up: A first for New Zealand". RNZ. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
^ "Chief Executive, Ministry for Ethnic Communities appointed". Public Service Commission (New Zealand). 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.