Example of foreign interference: Passport and visa issues when travelling.

Foreign interference can affect Ethnic Communities in different ways. Recognising it helps communities be aware of the risks and protect themselves.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) defines foreign interference as an act by a foreign state, often acting through a proxy, which is intended to influence, disrupt or subvert New Zealand’s national interests by deceptive, corruptive or coercive means. However, normal diplomatic activity, lobbying and other genuine, overt efforts to gain influence are not considered interference.

Here is one example of foreign interference based on experiences shared by Ethnic Communities with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

Ethnic Communities in New Zealand often want to travel to their countries of origin to see their friends and families. To travel back, they might need to use that country’s consular services in New Zealand. These services are provided by a country’s embassy, high commission or consulate to its citizens abroad and include issuing passports, visas, travel documents, and handling other legal matters.

Members of an Ethnic Community in New Zealand were told by a foreign state’s consular staff that they would not receive passport renewals or visas if they associated with groups or individuals in New Zealand who criticised that foreign state’s government. This made the community feel unable to express their views, talk to certain people, protest, or join groups.

These kinds of restrictions can make communities in New Zealand feel trapped and controlled by foreign states. When people can’t travel to see their family and friends, it has a big impact on their families and their wellbeing.

This is just one example of how foreign interference can impact Ethnic Communities. Foreign interference is not always obvious. It can be subtle and difficult to recognise. If something doesn’t feel right or makes you uncomfortable pay attention to it.

Learn more on how to recognise foreign interference, safeguard yourself and your community, and how to respond by checking out our other resources. Together, we can protect what makes New Zealand strong.

Example of foreign interference: Impacting places of worship.

Foreign interference can affect Ethnic Communities in different ways. Recognising it helps communities be aware of the risks and protect themselves.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) defines foreign interference as an act by a foreign state, often acting through a proxy, which is intended to influence, disrupt or subvert New Zealand’s national interests by deceptive, corruptive or coercive means. However, normal diplomatic activity, lobbying and other genuine, overt efforts to gain influence are not considered interference.

Here is one example of foreign interference based on experiences shared by Ethnic Communities with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

An Ethnic Community’s place of worship was targeted by foreign interference in New Zealand. A new member of the congregation became very involved in the communities’ religious activities. They started to talk a lot about politics and told people to support a foreign state’s government. They wanted religious services to be about politics. The new member also tried to stop people from criticising the foreign state.

They were instructed to do all of this by the foreign state’s government. Community members who criticised the foreign state, when the new member was present, received anonymous threats through text messages and social media. This hadn’t happened before the new member arrived.

The community suspected that the new member was reporting back to the foreign state’s government. They saw that these issues only started after the new member joined and tried to make people support the foreign state. This situation made people feel unsafe and distrustful of each other.

It became hard for the community to come together and focus on their faith at this place of worship.

This is just one example of how foreign interference can impact Ethnic Communities. Foreign interference is not always obvious. It can be subtle and difficult to recognise. If something doesn’t feel right or makes you uncomfortable pay attention to it.

Learn more on how to recognise foreign interference, safeguard yourself and your community, and how to respond by checking out our other resources. Together, we can protect what makes New Zealand strong.

Example of foreign interference: Communities being monitored by a foreign state.

Foreign interference can affect Ethnic Communities in different ways. Recognising it helps communities be aware of the risks and protect themselves.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) defines foreign interference as an act by a foreign state, often acting through a proxy, which is intended to influence, disrupt or subvert New Zealand’s national interests by deceptive, corruptive or coercive means. However, normal diplomatic activity, lobbying and other genuine, overt efforts to gain influence are not considered interference.

Here is one example of foreign interference based on experiences shared by Ethnic Communities with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

Members of an Ethnic Community in New Zealand, noticed suspicious behaviour from someone in their community. This person seemed to be always asking about the political views and activities of other people in the community.

The community found out that this person had been instructed by a foreign state’s government to report to their consulate in New Zealand about people who criticised the foreign state.

Some community members who had talked to this person and criticised the foreign state’s government had unexpected problems, like visa issues and excessive questioning at the airport when they arrived in their country of origin. This had never happened to them before. They suspected that these problems happened because their conversations were reported to the consulate.

This made people in the community afraid and distrustful, so they stopped expressing their true opinions.

This is just one example of how foreign interference can impact Ethnic Communities. Foreign interference is not always obvious. It can be subtle and difficult to recognise. If something doesn’t feel right or makes you uncomfortable pay attention to it.

Learn more on how to recognise foreign interference, safeguard yourself and your community, and how to respond by checking out our other resources. Together, we can protect what makes New Zealand strong.

Example of foreign interference: Doxing, online abuse and harassment.

Foreign interference can affect Ethnic Communities in different ways. Recognising it helps communities be aware of the risks and protect themselves.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) defines foreign interference as an act by a foreign state, often acting through a proxy, which is intended to influence, disrupt or subvert New Zealand’s national interests by deceptive, corruptive or coercive means. However, normal diplomatic activity, lobbying and other genuine, overt efforts to gain influence are not considered interference.

Here is one example of foreign interference based on experiences shared by Ethnic Communities with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

A member of an Ethnic Community in New Zealand, who often publicly criticised a foreign state’s government on social media experienced foreign interference. Their personal information including their address, phone number, and email, was posted online – this is called doxing.

The people who doxed the community member were instructed to do this by the foreign state's government. The community member received threatening phone calls and messages. They also received a lot of abusive comments on their social media accounts. The community member felt very scared and unsafe. They later found out that they were doxed by people in New Zealand who were working for the foreign state’s government.

The doxing was an attempt to scare them, so they would stop publicly criticising the foreign state’s government on social media. Eventually, they stopped expressing their views on social media and speaking out.

This is just one example of how foreign interference can impact Ethnic Communities. Foreign interference is not always obvious. It can be subtle and difficult to recognise. If something doesn’t feel right or makes you uncomfortable pay attention to it.

Learn more on how to recognise foreign interference, safeguard yourself and your community, and how to respond by checking out our other resources. Together, we can protect what makes New Zealand strong.