[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

NEW ZEALAND (Tier 2) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report

The Government of New Zealand does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.  The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore New Zealand remained on Tier 2.  These efforts included initiating more trafficking investigations; approving a new task force within Immigration New Zealand designed to investigate trafficking investigations and improve interagency coordination; launching a new public resource outlining the trafficking definition, signs, and steps to report potential trafficking offenses; and soliciting feedback from NGOs, private sector companies, and civil society to inform an improved legislative response to trafficking.  However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.  The government did not report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions for the second consecutive year; however, it prosecuted two cases with trafficking indicators under migrant exploitation laws, pending further investigations for potential trafficking elements.  Despite investigating an increased number of cases with trafficking indicators, the government did not identify any certified trafficking victims for the third consecutive year.  Officials, including police and customs officials, did not have written SOPs for victim identification or referrals to care, and the government did not refer any victims to services.  The government has never identified a certified adult victim of sex trafficking.

Prioritized Recommendations

Increase efforts to identify victims through proactive screening of vulnerable populations, including by drafting and finalizing appropriate victim identification guidelines for government officials. 

Increase efforts to proactively investigate and prosecute sex and labor trafficking cases, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms. 

Establish a national referral mechanism to ensure victims – including New Zealand citizens – are appropriately identified as trafficking victims and referred to services, and track the number of victims identified by authorities. 

Amend the trafficking statute to explicitly define the sex trafficking of children as not requiring the use of deception or coercion. 

Take steps to improve potential victims’ access to services and ensure government-funded services are suitable for trafficking victims. 

Fully operationalize the anti-trafficking unit in Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to improve interagency coordination and case response during trafficking investigations and prosecutions, victim identification, appropriate victim referrals to services, and trafficking data management. 

Distribute materials to raise public awareness of all forms of human trafficking. 

Increase training for all front-line workers, including law enforcement, customs officials, health care workers, and immigration officials, on trafficking indicators and appropriate referrals for victims. 

Remove the requirement for the Attorney General to approve charges under section 98D before authorities can initiate court proceedings. 

Improve the content and distribution of materials explaining migrant workers’ rights and mechanisms for reporting exploitation. 

Increase coordination with NGOs, social service providers, and other civil society stakeholders on anti-trafficking efforts, including victim identification and assistance. 

Provide anti-trafficking training to diplomatic personnel.