The Government's chief advisor on ethnic diversity and inclusion. Established 1 July 2021 in response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry following the Christchurch mosque attacks (March 2019). Operates as a departmental agency hosted within the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). CE: Mervin Singham (since Jul 2021). Ministers: Mark Mitchell (from 2025); Melissa Lee (2023-2025). 58.7 FTE (60 staff). Serves NZ's 1.1 million ethnic community members. Key programmes: Ethnic Communities Development Fund ($4.2M/yr, 408 grants in 2024/25), Ethnic Evidence report, Ethnic Advantage conference, RIECE regional forums, foreign interference resources (24 languages). Baseline reduced $1.244M in Budget 2024. Unplanned turnover 20.9%.
Current Chief Executive
Mervin SinghamGood Value
Total Revenue
$13.8M
-10.6% vs prior year
Total Expenses
$17.9M
-6.4% vs prior year
Net Surplus
$82K
KPIs Met
100%
7/7 measures
58.7
FTE Staff
20.9%
Turnover
-0.9%
Gender Pay Gap
5/5
Minister Satisfaction
$146K
2024/25
$192K
2023/24
| Financial Year | Chief Executive | Remuneration | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | Mervin Singham | $387K | Full Year | - |
| 2023/24 | Mervin Singham | $381K | Full Year | - |
| 2022/23 | Mervin Singham | $370K | Full Year | - |
Unknown – Present
$387K
2024/25
408 grants
Remuneration data sourced from Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission. Board appointment data from NZ Gazette
Est. addressable spend: $69K
408
Grants Awarded
| Metric | 2024/25 | 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue ($000) | $13,769 | $15,400 |
| Expenses ($000) | $17,919 | $19,151 |
| Net Surplus / (Deficit) ($000) | $82 | $478 |
| FTE | 58.7 | - |
| Unplanned Turnover | 20.9% | 23.2% |
| Contractor Spend ($000) | $146 | $192 |
| Grants Distributed ($000) | $4,232 | $4,229 |