Mark Mitchell unveils foreign interference resource tools

Ethnic Communities Minister Mark Mitchell promised to focus on economic growth, security and resilience, emergency management, and social cohesion at a meeting with ethnic community leaders on Saturday.

Mitchell also unveiled online resources in 24 languages to support people who might be subject to foreign interference.

Taking over the role from demoted National MP Melissa Lee in January, Mitchell also holds key ministerial portfolios of police, corrections, emergency management and recovery, as well as sport and recreation.

At the event at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau in South Auckland, Mitchell told about 200 community leaders from across the country that he was a fourth generation New Zealander of Irish descent and had rich overseas experiences.

"I've lived in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. I've lived and worked in many communities, sharing the challenges they face and immersing myself in the culture and history of their countries," he said.

"I'm constantly learning, but my experiences help me understand where our Eastern communities come from, what is important to them, some of the challenges and complexities of making a new country home."

Mitchell acknowledged the significant economic contributions made by the ethnic communities, which was estimated at $64 billion in 2021, and said the government was doing more to increase foreign investment.

"We're sitting up the Invest New Zealand to be a one-stop shop to attract and promote foreign investment," he said.

"We're making changes to the Overseas Investment Act to make investment rules less restrictive and more welcoming of investment."

Mitchell said the government was clear that it did not condone foreign interference in New Zealand.

"It is particularly concerning that some members of our ethnic communities are experiencing undue pressure, insufficient rights from foreign states. This is unacceptable," Mitchell said.

While refusing to single out any specific communities, he said the government was "very aware" of it happening.

The multi-lingual resources released today covered topics such as people's rights in New Zealand, ways to report foreign interference, keeping safe online and information about the draft Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill, he said.

"While we started showing light on foreign interference, there was more to be done," he said. "Work will continue with a range of communities to develop and release more resources this year."

In terms of emergency responses, Mitchell pointed out that the support provided "was not often was not responsive to language, cultural or religious needs and important information in different languages was slow in getting to the people who needed it".

He said he had asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to make sure the support role of ethnic communities was recognised and codified in the new emergency management legislation.

"NEMA have also told me that they're close to completing a resource about what support is available and where to find it," he said.

"This resource could be distributed to communities and multiple languages as soon as an emergency happens, rather than taking days to develop and translate."

Aware of concerns about harassment, Islamophobia and anti-Sematism, Mitchell said these issues must be confronted directly.

He said it was also important that people in New Zealand did not let geopolitical tensions impact domestic social cohesion.

"I would like better ways to bring faith and community leaders together to build bridges and unite communities," Mitchell said.

"The Ministry for Ethnic Communities is actively fostering social cohesion through community engagement and a faith dialogue, and targeted funding, and I'm committed to continuing these efforts and identifying further ways to strengthen ties between our communities."

Ethnic leaders told RNZ that they felt encouraged and hopeful after the event with the minister, but said words must be put into action.

Vishal Rishi, director of The Asian Network Incorporated (TANI), said ethnic communities have been talking about similar issues to different governments and ministers for decades but changes seemed to be minor.

"We are still struggling to get onto the decision-making tables. ... We are still invisible in the major New Zealand strategies," Rishi said.

However, he said he appreciated the minister's willingness to engage and would cross his fingers for positive changes.

Carolyn Providence is co-founder of the MELAA Advisory Group, which represents people from the Middle East and Latin American and African, along with several subgroups.

"Representing less than 2 percent of the whole New Zealand community, in order to ... have our opinions put forward and our concerns addressed, we do need representation," she said.

Acknowledging it was an important first step for the minister to meet with the different communities, Providence said she would like to "see a lot more action on the ground".

People need easy access to overcome language and cultural barriers, and there need to be adequate resources and funding to help address these issues, she said.

Tairawhiti Multicultural Council, President Arish Naresh came all the way from Gisborne for the event.

Affected by the recent floods, he applauded the minister's promise to make ethnic communities more visible in emergency management.

"I think NEMA's policies largely have been Eurocentric or centred towards certain communities, but not being as inclusive or to the needs of the migrant communities," he said.

"I think going forward, if that translate into further resource and sector capability using the act as an enabler, that will really benefit ethnic communities in the regions."