| Post: | Minister for Ethnic Communities |
| Flag: | Flag of New Zealand.svg |
| Flagcaption: | Flag of New Zealand |
| Insigniacaption: | Coat of arms of New Zealand |
| Incumbent: | Melissa Lee |
| Incumbentsince: | 27 November 2023 |
| Style: | The Honourable |
| Member Of: | |
| Reports To: | Prime Minister of New Zealand |
| Appointer: | Governor-General of New Zealand |
| Termlength: | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Formation: | 1999 |
| First: | George Hawkins (as Minister of Ethnic Affairs) |
The Minister for Ethnic Communities is a minister in the New Zealand Government with broad responsibilities for ethnic inclusion.
The current Minister for Ethnic Communities Melissa Lee.[1]
The minister is broadly responsible for supporting ethnic and culturally diverse communities in New Zealand. They are the responsible minister for the Ministry for Ethnic Communities and also oversee the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust.[2]
The first appointment to the Minister of Ethnic Affairs was made in 1999 at the formation of the Fifth Labour Government. Through the 1999 election campaign, both Labour and United had pledged to appoint an ethnic affairs minister to "be involved at all levels of decision-making on issues affecting ethnic communities."[3] The inaugural appointment was George Hawkins.
The position was renamed to Minister for Ethnic Communities in 2015.[4] The title was briefly Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities between 2020 and 2023.[5]
The following ministers have held the office of Minister for Ethnic Communities.
| No. | Name | Portrait | Term of office | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As Minister of Ethnic Affairs | ||||||||
| 1 | George Hawkins | 10 December 1999 | 15 August 2002 | Clark | ||||
| 2 | Chris Carter | 15 August 2002 | 19 November 2008 | |||||
| 3 | Pansy Wong | 19 November 2008 | 12 November 2010 | Key | ||||
| - | Georgina te HeuheuActing | 12 November 2010 | 1 February 2011 | |||||
| 4 | Hekia Parata | 1 February 2011 | 14 December 2011 | |||||
| 5 | Judith Collins | 14 December 2011 | 30 August 2014 | |||||
| - | Hekia ParataActing | 30 August 2014 | 8 October 2014 | |||||
| 6 | Sam Lotu-Iiga | 8 October 2014 | 1 March 2015 | |||||
| As Minister for Ethnic Communities | ||||||||
| (6) | Sam Lotu-Iiga | 1 March 2015 | 20 December 2016 | Key | ||||
| (5) | Judith Collins | 20 December 2016 | 26 October 2017 | English | ||||
| 7 | Jenny Salesa | 26 October 2017 | 6 November 2020 | Ardern | ||||
| As Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities | ||||||||
| 8 | Priyanca Radhakrishnan | 6 November 2020 | 27 November 2023 | Ardern | ||||
| Hipkins | ||||||||
| As Minister for Ethnic Communities | ||||||||
| 9 | Melissa Lee | 27 November 2023 | Incumbent | Luxon | ||||