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Message from the Chief Executive
Highlighting the growing role of Ethnic Communities in New Zealand’s economy
Kia ora koutou,
We are approaching the Ethnic Xchange Symposium on 11 October, which I told you about in my foreword for July Ethnic Voices.
I’m excited to share more about this milestone event and its significance for New Zealand’s economic future.
Over the decades I have been a public servant, I’ve had the privilege of engaging with Kiwi ethnic people from all walks of life. Many expressed a strong desire to contribute more meaningfully to New Zealand’s economy and to be seen to be doing so.
Our Ethnic Communities are the fastest-growing population in New Zealand. By 2033, they will make up a quarter of the population.
Ethnic Communities comprise 21.5% of our working-age population, and New Zealand’s migrant employment rate is the highest amongst the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Ethnic communities make a huge contribution to our economy—$64 billion added to GDP in 2021, as highlighted in the Waitakere Ethnic Board report.
In addition, research from the Ministry for Business, Innovation, and Employment has shown that diverse investor migrants have a significant impact on economic growth. However, there is even greater potential to unlock.
The diversity of our Ethnic Communities enhances innovation, expands the talent pool, and strengthens New Zealand’s ability to engage in international markets. Kiwi ethnic businesses are well-positioned to support government goals of doubling export value by 2030 and increasing foreign investment.
Our Ministry aims to unlock this potential. Ethnic Xchange is more than a one-day event—it’s a starting base for collaboration, showcasing how New Zealand’s growing diversity can fuel innovation, trade, and investment.
This Symposium will explore how high-value Kiwi ethnic businesses, particularly those with strong connections to international markets in the Asia-Pacific region, can shape New Zealand’s future economy.
With a great lineup of speakers and advocates for inclusion, the Symposium offers a unique opportunity for industry leaders to understand how ethnic businesses can diversify and expand into new markets.
At our Ministry, we are dedicated to ensuring that Ethnic Communities are increasingly recognised as valuable contributors and pioneers, not just within their own networks but across New Zealand’s broader social and economic landscape.
Ethnic Xchange is a key part of this effort to reframe the role of our Ethnic Communities as essential to the nation's success.
The Symposium marks just the beginning—more initiatives will follow, and I look forward to sharing those developments with you in the future.
Ngā mihi nui,
Mervin Singham
Chief Executive, Ministry for Ethnic Communities
Contact Us
For more updates on what the Ministry is doing, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn and visit our website www.ethniccommunities.govt.nz.
Stay safe! Kia noho haumaru!
