Kia ora e te whānau,
In a few days, the election will be over, and we’ll know who forms the next government; however, with coalition talks likely to be complex, we will need some patience. Belong Aotearoa knows the barriers to belonging for migrant and refugee-background communities are highly political, and we want politicians from across the spectrum to make more room to address them, not less.
So, who is on the ballot? The Spinoff’s deep dive into the names of all 530 candidates found that the most common first names are David, Matthew, Michael and Christopher, and the article describes the lineup as rather Anglo-Saxon. After Smith, the second most common last name is Singh, though that’s four of the 530 candidates. The lack of women is troubling: men make up 62% of candidates with no women’s names in the top ten. It’s an interesting read, and it points to a question about whose voices and perspectives are vying to be in the room. We know representation alone doesn’t deliver social justice for all, but we do need candidates with the diversity of thought, experience and values to embrace our communities, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
And confusingly, more diverse voices can also bring backlash against diversity. That backlash often takes the form of culture war rhetoric, which can be deployed as a distraction from pro-big-business policies that aren’t always popular. It frames migrants, Māori, women, and gender-diverse communities as the problem, shifting attention from the harder policy questions, including deeply entrenched racism. Indian communities, in particular, have faced real harm when racist narratives were normalised by political leaders, and this short documentary (just 15 minutes) is well worth a watch.
We know that racism against Indian communities comes from the same colonial playbook as racism against Māori, a playbook that sets groups against each other and asks who really belongs. If that connection isn’t clear to you, or you’d like to understand it better, deepening your understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a good place to start. There’s an upcoming workshop in Auckland led by the fabulous Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People, so please register!
Attendees at our Annual Public Meeting
It was lovely to see so many of you at our Annual Public Meeting, conveniently (and unplanned!) held right next to a voting station. We heard from AUT on our evolving wellbeing research with migrant and refugee-background communities. We also heard from the amazing Janet Kamau on her journey to belonging in Aotearoa.
Janet Kamau speaking on her journey to belonging in Aotearoa
I outlined our focus for the next 12 months. First, we want to work with the next government as a constructive partner and critical friend on its responsibility to govern for diversity, underpinned by Te Tiriti. Second, our programmes. We run a wide range of them, and Safari, for example, is in hot demand and we need more resources to meet it. Our Intercultural Women’s Leadership initiative is also proving a welcome addition. Third, the hustle. Like all non-profits, we have to chase funding to keep going, which is hard given how much community organisations achieve on a shoestring.
A room made for everyone doesn’t happen by accident, and it was good to be in one together. Many of us across the sector are building rooms like this in lots of different ways. Voting is one way we all help build the bigger one, by choosing who will make room for our communities. So please, go and vote. Explore party policies and make your decision on or before 7 November. I look forward to writing again in two weeks, when hopefully we’ll know more about who is in the room.
Mauri ora,
Angela Wilton
Chief Executive Officer, Belong Aotearoa
In Case You Missed It
Join the Belong Aotearoa Board
Do you have experience in governance and expertise in finance, fundraising, or non-profit leadership?
Are you passionate about inclusion and social justice?
Express your interest here.
Research: Financial Wellbeing, Ethical Investment, and Ethnic communities
The Federation of Islamic Associations New Zealand (FIANZ) and Ethnic Research Aotearoa (ERA) have partnered to shine a spotlight on ethnic communities' financial wellbeing and ethical investment.
Fill in the survey here.
PHD Research: Capturing Factors that Influence Uptake of Antenatal Vaccination Through the Lens of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Aotearoa New Zealand
Join the study if:
currently pregnant,
a migrant, refugee or asylum-seeker (you were born outside New Zealand and moved here),
have lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for at least six months,
living in Auckland,
able to converse in English, and
can access the internet and own a smart device
Click here to participate.
Events
Beyond the Bottom Line: the business case for the living wage
The event will be a great opportunity to connect with fellow professionals, exchange ideas, and explore the broader factors that contribute to meaningful and sustainable success beyond financial performance.
When: Wednesday 11 November, from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
Where: Westpac on Takutai Square.
Register here.
The Key to Influence Workshop
The Refugee Alliance is hosting an exclusive workshop for its members led by award-winning journalist Jehan Casinader on how to lead courageous conversations and build influence.
When: Friday 20 November, from 9am to 4.30pm.
Where: Sorento in the Park, Royal Oak.
Register here.
African Health Expo 2026
This is a free public event which aims at bridging the gap between African communities and health service providers by making health information, services and support more accessible to everyone.
There will be also cultural celebrations with good music, incredible food and fun activities for children.
When: Saturday 21 November, from 12pm to 4pm.
Where: Wesley Community Centre.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi workshop
Learn about the history of Aotearoa New Zealand, what was agreed in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and why it is important today.
When: Saturday 21 November, from 9.30am to 1.30pm.
Where: The Fickling Convention Centre.
Register here.
Meet Your Community Market
Enjoy a family fun market and support your local community organisations and businesses.
When: Sunday 29 November, from 10am to 1pm.
Where: Te Pae o Kura.
Free entry and family-friendly.
Media
Enrolments of up to 6800 people with residence class visas could be affected
The Electoral Commission said some with the residence class visas were asked to provide information on their immigration status when they didn't need to.
Read more here.
Christchurch motel owner Jian Li sentenced to home detention for migrant exploitation
The exploitation involved four managers at the motel.
Read more here.
NZ First candidates float ‘great replacement’ conspiracy theory
NZ First MPs and candidates, including the party’s deputy leader Shane Jones, have made multiple references to an extremist conspiracy theory about migration in recent months.
Read more here.
When home feels hostile navigating a year of anti-Indian hate
Indian communities have called Aotearoa home for over a century. So why are people still being told to “go back”?
Read more here.
Work visas under India FTA worse deal than options already available, lawyer says
New work visas under the India trade deal are "cosmetic at best" and completely undermine Winston Peters' warnings of "open slather immigration", an immigration lawyer says.
Read more here.
‘Sense of responsibility’: Qiulae Wong on quest to become the first Asian leader of a political party in Parliament
Up close and personal with Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong on the campaign trail.
Read more here.
'Nobody talks about it': Menopause stigma silences Asian women
Health advocates have warned that cultural stigma is making it harder for some Asian women to recognise menopause symptoms and seek medical help.
Read more here.
'What we need is time': National list candidate Nancy Lu eyes party votes to retain seat in tight race
Up close and personal with National list candidate Nancy Lu on the campaign trail discussing racist rhetoric, her achievements in office and the country's diverse future.
Read more here.
Wellington charity offers to escort Sri Lankan woman stuck in Cook Islands
The Sri Lankan woman has been stranded in the Cook Islands since 2024.
Read more here.
Wellington social housing sale: Living there 'changed my life' councillor says
Wellington councillor Nureddin Abdurahman says his family lived in one of the Strathmore units that Kāinga Ora is now selling off from 2010 to 2019 when he had nothing and it changed his life.
Read more here.
Hipkins’ campaign gets a filip at Filipino festival
On the eve of casting his vote in the 2026 election, Chris Hipkins worked the grill and the crowd at New Zealand’s largest celebration of Filipino culture.
Read more here.
The story of Polish orphan Frank Szpetner and World War II’s longest exile journey
Deported by Soviet authorities from Poland during World War II, 733 orphaned children found new lives in New Zealand. This is the story of one of the last survivors.
Read more here.
Diwali Festival 2026: Come for the dancing, stay for everything else
Auckland Diwali Festival returns this weekend with a celebration of Indian music, dance, art, food and film.
Learn more here.
Do you have news you would like to share in our fortnightly Sector Update? Simply email your update to: sectorupdates@belong.org.nz.
Ngā mihi,
Belong Aotearoa Team
