In 2002, during a Chinese New Year celebration at Parliament, then Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Helen Clark, offered a public apology to the Chinese people who paid the poll tax. They also suffered other discrimination imposed by statute and on their descendants. The apology acknowledged the considerable hardship the tax had inflicted, and the cost and impact of other discriminatory immigration practices had split families apart.

Poll taxes were imposed by law on Chinese migrants during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Their entry into New Zealand was restricted based on the number of Chinese passengers per certain tonnage of ship cargo. These measures were highly discriminatory and had a heavy impact on Chinese migrant families.

In 2004 the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust was established as a statutory body. This was a gesture of goodwill to the descendants of poll taxpayers in recognition of the hardship caused by the New Zealand Parliament’s decision in the 1800s.

The Department of Internal Affairs – Te Tari Taiwhenua is responsible for administering the Trust. The Minister for Ethnic Communities acts on behalf of the Government and is the Settlor of the Trust. They can appoint the Trust’s eight members. For more information, check out the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust.

• Cantonese Poll tax Apology | Ethnic Communities
• Poll tax imposed on Chinese | NZHistory, New Zealand history online
• A taxing imposition
• Later settlement – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand