Appalling Record on Pasifika Employment

One in five Pacific young people do not have a job, an appalling fact that the National Government should be ashamed of, says New Zealand First.

“Pasifika unemployment is now over double the rate of other New Zealanders,” says Spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs Le’aufa’amulia Asenati Lole-Taylor.

“The Salvation Army’s latest report on the state of Pasifika in New Zealand, ‘This is Home’, highlights the Government’s failure to progress Pasifika communities, especially Pacific young people.

“Over half of all Pacific Islanders in New Zealand do not own their own home. The Government’s economic performance has been so poor that job prospects and access to affordable housing remain bleak.

“Pacific students are still more likely to be stood down from school than students from other ethnicities, and they are also more likely than others to grow up in an environment of domestic violence.

“We are talking about young Kiwis – the majority of Pacific people in New Zealand are born in New Zealand – who need a better chance in life.

“A government focusing on uplifting the Pacific youth is the only way forward. This is done by giving Pasifika families the basic tools they need to build better lives for their children – jobs with fair pay, good education, quality health and decent housing.

“If Pacific young people are given the opportunity to do well, they will, and we can ensure they are an asset to New Zealand in their adulthood, not a burden,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor.

ENDS

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