1. Background The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is committed to the New Zealand Migrant Settlement and Integration Strategy (NZMSIS), and promoting a diverse, inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand where everyone feels welcomed, safe and a sense of belonging. The New Zealand Migrant Settlement and Integration Strategy (NZMSIS) recognises a diverse and rapidly changing Aotearoa New Zealand population and high levels of immigration. The strategy aims to ensure the effective settlement and integration of all migrants and comprises five outcome areas: employment, education and training, English language, inclusion, and health and wellbeing (Immigration New Zealand, n.d.). One key indicator under the ‘inclusion’ outcome is reducing migrants’ experiences of discrimination. However, evidence shows that migrants in Aotearoa New Zealand report experiencing discrimination more than those who were born here (Table 1). This affects migrants’ wellbeing and ability to integrate into Aotearoa New Zealand society (Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 2018). Table 1: Experience of discrimination in the last 12 months by migrant status and year Year 2014 % 2016 % 2018 % Total population 17.1 17.0 17.4 Born in NZ 16.4 16.6 16.5 Long-term migrant 19.0 16.3 18.8 Recent migrant* 17.7 25.8 21.2 Data source: Statistics New Zealand General Social Survey (2019) *Defined by Stats NZ as those migrants who arrived in New Zealand in the last five years Migrants’ experiences of discrimination coincide with a decrease in positivity about migrants and the impacts of migration among New Zealanders more broadly (Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 2016a). MBIE’s 2016 Community Perceptions of Migration research (Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 2016b) found that just over half (53%) of New Zealanders held a positive view of migrants in 2016, representing a decline from 58% in 2015. Migrants from the United Kingdom and Australia were the most positively perceived (achieving average scores of 7.1 and 7 out of 10 respectively). Migrants from China and refugees were least positively perceived (both receiving an average score of 5.4 out of 10). www.malatest-intl.com Drivers of racism – March 2021 13