The Wider Pacific Strategic Environment

Outcomes for Pacific peoples in a number of areas are showing positive signs of improvement. For example¹:

• Pacific peoples increasingly contribute to many areas of cultural, social and economic life in New Zealand
• Pacific peoples are youthful, vibrant and full of potential
• New Zealand’s national identity is strengthened through the representation of Pacific peoples particularly in the Public Service, culture, arts, sports and music
• There have been improvements in the economic position of Pacific peoples particularly for some of the younger New Zealand born peoples
• There have been improvements in participation rates for skilled jobs
• Overall levels of education have also improved.

New Zealand’s Pacific population comprises at least 13 distinct languages and cultural groups and includes people born in New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands.  The many Pacific ethnicities are represented primarily by Samoan, Cook Islands, Tongan, Niuean and Fijian groups, with smaller numbers from Tokelau Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and the small island states of Micronesia.

Pacific peoples are also more concentrated within the regional areas of Auckland (66.9 per cent), Wellington (13.1 per cent), Waikato (4.4 per cent) and Christchurch (4.1 per cent).  Pacific populations are growing at a faster rate (15.3 per cent) than Māori (6.5 per cent) and European (4.5 per cent).  The Pacific population will continue to grow rapidly for some time to come.²

Even as we now turn to the less positive side of the equation, it is important to bear in mind that:

On 30 June 2008, 97.9 per cent of Pacific peoples over the age of 17 years were not serving a sentence managed by Corrections.

_{1: Above indicators cited from Pacific Progress: A Report on the Economic Status of Pacific peoples in New Zealand Statistics New Zealand www.stats.govt.nz}

_{2: Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Statement of Intent 2008-2011}

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