New Zealand Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has come under fire after making a contentious remark in a parliamentary session that she "never replies" to immigration-related emails sent by Indians, comparing them to spam. The remark has spurred strong reactions from the Indian community and politicians both in New Zealand and overseas. Indian-origin Labour MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan condemned the remarks, calling them “insensitive and discriminatory."

Radhakrishnan told The Indian Weekender that comments like these were much too inappropriate and perpetuated negative stereotypes about a whole ethnic group. “It is unacceptable for a Minister of the Crown to single out a specific community in this way,” she said. “Ministers routinely receive unsolicited emails, and there was no justification for specifically highlighting emails from Indians. Particularly in light of New Zealand’s growing relationship with India, these remarks are highly irresponsible,” she said. Radhakrishnan further added that the Minister’s words were “careless at best and prejudiced at worst,” urging the government to address the issue with seriousness.

Erica Stanford Clarifies: “I’ve Been Misinterpreted”

Following the massive outrage, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford released a clarification, where she said her words had been used out of context. She clarified that her reference was to the number of unsolicited emails received on her private Gmail address, not to Indians as a group. “I did not say that I consider emails from Indians as spam,” Stanford said. “I mentioned that I receive a large number of unsolicited emails, including some from India seeking immigration advice, which I generally do not respond to. These kinds of emails—regardless of origin—are often unsolicited and inappropriate for my inbox,” she stated. Stanford, who was sworn in on November 27, 2023, as part of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National-led coalition government, emphasized that her comments were by no means intended to be aimed at any specific ethnicity.

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India–New Zealand Relations Under Focus

The row arrives at a time when India and New Zealand are striving to deepen bilateral relations. In March 2025, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon travelled to India and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk about priority areas of cooperation, such as trade, defense, and education. A proposed free trade agreement between the two nations is underway and is set to be completed by 2025. The agreement will increase economic cooperation among vital industries like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, minerals, and tourism. Education remains a key pillar of the New Zealand–India relationship. More than 15,000 Indian students are studying in New Zealand, with India being one of the largest source countries of international students for New Zealand. The two countries also seek to broaden cultural and academic exchanges through tourism, sports, and research cooperation.

The Indian diaspora in New Zealand, which numbers over 240,000, has reacted with dismay at the statement made by Stanford. Various leaders of the Indian community and advocacy organisations have demanded that the Minister make a formal apology and promise to be more constructively engaged with the Indian community.

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