Our work
We work with communities, other government agencies and a range of organisations to effect change in areas critical to the wellbeing of ethnic communities.
In order to deliver on our role as the government’s chief advisor on ethnic communities, our ministry looks to:
- Advise on the impact of government policies on ethnic communities and identify opportunities to effect change.
- Improve the responsiveness of the public sector to the needs of ethnic communities.
- Understand from ethnic communities what they need to thrive and communicate this to government.
- Empower ethnic communities to achieve their aspirations.
We want our ministry to be a catalyst for change, working in partnership across the system to harness and share knowledge, deliver tangible change for ethnic communities and support them to be empowered.
Our Values
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Our priorities
To help understand what ethnic communities want the ministry to focus on, the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities hosted a series of targeted engagements throughout April and May 2021.
Based on the outcomes of that engagement, Cabinet has agreed that the Ministry’s initial priorities are:
- Promoting the value of diversity and improving the inclusion of ethnic communities in wider society.
- Ensuring government services are provided equitably and in ways that are accessible for ethnic communities.
- Improving economic outcomes for ethnic communities, including addressing barriers to employment.
- Connecting and empowering ethnic community groups.
To learn more about the engagements and the aspirations and priorities of Aotearoa New Zealand's ethnic communities for the new ministry, please click on the following links:
The summary of what we heard from the Engagements
Engagement on the Ministry for Ethnic Communities
Our Strategy
Strategy 2022 – 2025 - A pathway to an Aotearoa where ethnic communities feel at home
This plan builds on what our ethnic communities said the Ministry should prioritise in its initial years. When we sought feedback on our draft strategy last year, our ethnic communities and stakeholders told us they wanted to belong, to contribute and be seen as strong contributors to Aotearoa New Zealand's growth and future.
Our Strategy:
Is shaped by the 4 priorities it serves and will guide and underpin our work programme going forward:
- Promoting the value of diversity and improving the inclusion of ethnic communities in wider society.
- Ensuring government services are provided equitably and in ways that are accessible for ethnic communities.
- Improving economic outcomes for ethnic communities, including addressing barriers to employment.
- Connecting and empowering ethnic community groups.
Our strategy charts the myriad of actions we aim to progress between now and 2025 to deliver on our strategic priorities.
- Sets out how we will work with others, including other Government agencies, the private sector and stakeholders to enable better outcomes for our ethnic communities.
- Aims to translate our priorities into tangible pieces of work and policies that will have an enduring and positive impact on our communities to achieve better wellbeing outcomes for them all.
- Our aim being to promote and celebrate the value of ethnic diversity and the richness it brings in all facets of society and culture.
An integral part of Ministry’s role is to honour the Crown’s responsibility to act in a way that is consistent with the principles under Te Tiriti o Waitangi Aotearoa. As a result of this there are actions in this Strategy that aim to strengthen relationships with tāngata whenua and grow understanding of te ao Māori.
Strategy 2022 - 2025 - A pathway to an Aotearoa where ethnic communities feel at home.
The document above are available in PDF format.
An accessible HTML version is available, please contact info@ethniccommunities.govt.nz.
Check out what the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Communities - Hon Priyanca Radhankrishnan and Mervin Singham our Chief Executive had to say about the Strategy.
Check out interviews with Leaders and Stakeholders from the Communities.
Our Plans
Our strategy prioritises improving economic outcomes for ethnic communities. We are also working to achieve that goal in our organisation. Kia Toipoto is a Public Service Commission initiative to reduce gender, Māori, Pacific and ethnic pay gaps in public service. Kia Toipoto is one way we prioritise our people, too. Take a look at our plan that helps drive this important work within the Ministry. You can also find more information on Kia Toipoto on the Public Service Commission website.
Our Executive Leadership Team
Mervin Singham, Chief Executive
Prior to becoming the new ministry’s first chief executive, he was the executive director at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions.
From 2012 to 2018 he held a number of executive leadership roles at the Department of Internal Affairs, including deputy chief executive, stewardship and organisational sustainability and deputy chief executive, strategy and governance. Between 2000 and 2004 he was chief mediator at the Human Rights Commission and complaints manager at the Office of Race Relations Conciliator between 1997 and 2000.
Mervin holds a Master of Laws (1st class honours) from Auckland University and a Bachelor of Laws (honours) from the University of Canterbury.
Arthur Chin, Deputy Chief Executive Strategic Engagement and Partnerships
Prior to this, Arthur worked in the financial and higher education sectors, where his roles centred on partnerships, internationalisation and community engagement.
Arthur completed a doctorate in 2017 with funding from the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia, holds a Master of Arts degree (MA) from Victoria University of Wellington, and serves the community as a Justice of the Peace.
Fleur Murray, Deputy Chief Executive Corporate Services
She has had senior executive positions in a range of sectors, including, Meridian Energy, PG Wrightson’s, Inland Revenue, ANZ Bank, General Manager People and Culture at the New Zealand Racing Board and TAB, Chief People Officer at Parliamentary Service and most recently Group Manager Shared Services at the Royal Commission of Abuse In Care.
Fleur and her team are responsible for all the Ministry’s corporate functions including communications, HR, health, safety and wellbeing, governance, reporting, property, finance and procurement, privacy and security.
Pratima Namasivayam, Deputy Chief Executive Policy and Analytics
For the last three years, she has acted as an independent consultant for the likes of the Crown Law Office, the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Transport Agency. Her management career has included policy (both strategic and operational), legislative change and implementation, organisational change programmes, and negotiations on behalf of the Crown.
Pratima has post-graduate qualifications in health sciences and in law and is an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
Berlinda Chin, Chief Advisor
Her career in New Zealand has involved many roles connected to diversity and multi-culturalism. These included Strategic Specialist on Ethnic Communities at the State Services Commission, Private Secretary to two different Ministers with Ethnic Community portfolios and Intercultural Advisory Manager at the Office of Ethnic Affairs.
Prior to joining the Ministry, she was Head of Community Engagement for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care.
Berlinda works across a wide range of Ministry portfolios and is the key liaison with the Minister’s office.
Our minister
The Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities is Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan.
Our history
The seeds of the Ministry were planted in 1995 with the creation of an Ethnic Affairs Desk within the Department of Internal Affairs. Over the last 26 years, the organisation has slowly grown in size and function.
In December 2020, Cabinet agreed the Ministry for Ethnic Communities would be established from 1 July 2021.
Click on the link below to see the key milestones in our journey to become a full ministry.