New Delhi, May 27 -- New Zealand's Minister of Immigration, Erica Stanford, has come under significant criticism for remarks perceived as racially insensitive towards Indians, following a parliamentary exchange that likened emails from Indians seeking immigration advice to spam. The comments provoked a strong response, notably from Indian-origin Labour Party MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan, who was born in Chennai.

On 6 May 2025, during a parliamentary session, Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime asked Minister Stanford to confirm whether every email related to her ministerial portfolios sent to or from her personal email account had been properly recorded, as required by the Cabinet Manual. Stanford replied, "I have complied with the Official Informa...