Minister for Ethnic Communities

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.

Key

  National   Labour

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 Heuheu Acting		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 Parata Acting		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	24 January 2025		Luxon
	10	Mark Mitchell		24 January 2025	Incumbent