Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Pasifika Festival – a time to reflect on 20th anniversary

Su’a William Sio
Pacific Island Affairs Spokesperson
MP for Mangere

9 February 2012

Pasifika Festival – a time to reflect on 20th anniversary

This year’s Pasifika Festival gives us an opportunity to thank the Pacific community for their contribution to New Zealand society and to reflect on ways we can improve the lives of our people, says Labour’s Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio.

Labour Leader David Shearer, Māngere MP Su’a William Sio and a number of other MPs will attend celebrations this weekend, marking the 20th anniversary of the festival.

“This is a significant milestone considering the difficulties getting the event off the ground all those years ago and the on-going battle around funding and sponsorship. Despite those challenges, the Pacific community has held strong and today we are able to enjoy a wonderful celebration of culture, language, food, talent and creativity.

“The Pasifika Festival has become a well-known, iconic event for the Pacific region and there will be plenty of international businesses, artists and community groups taking part in the celebration. In addition to the economic benefits, the festival brings significant social benefits for Pacific people in terms of networking, connecting and sharing life experiences.

“The 20 year milestone is also a good time to reflect on where we are as a community in Aotearoa New Zealand. Population reports highlight the fact that Pacific and Māori in particular have the highest youth populations, which has significant ramifications in terms of the future workforce and future wellbeing of retiring New Zealanders.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“With high unemployment, we need to find ways to support our young people so they have access to training opportunities and can secure well-paying jobs. This is vital to supporting our families and sustaining our culture in a difficult economic environment.

“Times are tough for many Pacific families. We must ask how we sustain our cultural values and whether we can continue with the same old customs and practices during our fa’alavelave, or is there a need for change?

“It’s also a good time to take stock of where we have come from, where we are now, what kind of a society we want to create in future and what legacy we want to pass onto the next generation,” said Su’a William Sio

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.