Dawn Raids in Aotearoa New Zealand

The Dawn Raids were the Government’s promise to ‘get tough’ on law and order and immigration in the 1970s. Raids took place in the early hours of the morning or late at night when police would enter homes to convict and deport so-called ‘over-stayers’.

Police also stopped people in the street to ask for evidence of their right to be in the country, but the majority of people targeted in this way were Pacific people, despite Pacific people making up only one third of those overstaying their visas. The majority of over-stayers – British, Australians and South Africans – were not subjected to the same treatment.

Police Task Force searching for overstayers

In late 1974, Louise Lonsdale-Cooper photographed the Police Task Force by their paddy wagons near the Gluepot Hotel, on Ponsonby Road, Auckland. They were searching for overstayers and targeting people from local Pacific communities.

Polynesian Panther Party beret and badge

This beret and badge were worn by the Reverend Alec Toleafoa when he spoke at the official New Zealand Government apology for the Dawn Raids, held on Sunday 1 August 2021 at the Auckland Town Hall.

Polynesian Panther Party lapel badge

The badge commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) and was worn by the Reverend Alec Toleafoa when he spoke at the official New Zealand Government apology for the Dawn Raids, held on Sunday 1 August 2021 at the Auckland Town Hall.

Cook Is – original over stayers since 1960

The term overstayer refers to people who illegally remained in New Zealand after the period of their permitted stay had expired. This t-shirt was acquired from the ‘Respect - Hip Hop Aotearoa’ exhibition tour.

“Immigration - Important Notice”

This government notice was displayed in Post Offices around the country to encourage alleged Pacific Island overstayers to register between 10 April and 30 June 1976, without facing prosecution under the Immigration Amendment Act (1974).

A linocut print of a woman standing at a podium talking into a microphone.

Understanding Dawn Raids

Manatū Taonga Ministry of Culture and Heritage has created a digital hub to support the telling of Pacific people’s historical stories focusing on the history of the Dawn Raids of the 1970s,

Explore the resources on Manatū Taonga’s website.

A yellow rectangle with a linocut in the centre of a stamp illustration it that shows four people sleeping together in a group.

Timeline of the Dawn Raids

This timeline covers key events and context relevant to the Dawn Raids, highlighting key legislative changes and social responses, and their impact on Pacific communities – including immigration settings, dawn raid reports, protests, community meetings and police and government activities.

View the timeline on Manatū Taonga’s website.