Concerns rise over funding cuts: Is the future of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples at risk?

The Minister for Pacific Peoples has dismissed the opposition’s concerns about the ministry’s future, saying the funding cuts do not indicate an intention to dismantle MPP.

Dr Shane Reti says he has no concerns and no such discussions have taken place.

“My role is to champion the ministry to make sure that they are the experts that all of government come to when they want to know about the health, the ambitions, the concerns of the Pacific people diaspora here in New Zealand,” he tells PMN News.

“So I can say that I am the champion for this Ministry, and there are no plans that I'm aware of or have had discussions with to the contrary.”

The deputy leader of the Labour Party, Carmel Sepuloni, raised her concerns during a parliamentary session scrutinising the ministry.

Sepuloni questioned if the ministry was being deliberately defunded to weaken its effectiveness, potentially giving the government justification for its disestablishment.

Sepuloni is a member of the Social Services and Community Select Committee. Photo/PMN News/Ala Vailala

“I raised that point because this is quite often how this government has a history of doing things,” she told PMN News.

“I also say that because we know that the ACT party is not a big supporter of the population group agencies. In fact, we had David Seymour threatening to blow up the Pacific ministry before the last election.

“So I'm really fearful of what the future of this ministry could be.”

The Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) has faced significant cuts in Budget 2025. It will see reductions of nearly $26 million over the next four years, the termination of the Dawn Raids reconciliation programme, and the end of the Tauola Business Fund.

Funding for the Tupu Aotearoa initiative, which aims to help Pacific people find employment, has been halved over the next four years.

Last year, the programme successfully placed 1300 Pacific people into jobs.

Chief Executive of MPP Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone (left) and Minister Reti (right) during the Ministry's scrutiny session this week. Photo/PMN News/Ala Vailala

Sepuloni says she is concerned at the unemployment rate for Pacific people, which is more than double the national average in New Zealand.

In defence of the funding cuts, Reti argues that programmes like Tupu Aotearoa will be integrated with broader government services, especially those offered by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).

“We're still developing work on that, but by the end of the year, we'll have reached a collaboration with MSD that either joint ventures or folds Tupu into the MSD programmes.”

Watch Sepuloni's recent interview on Pacific Mornings

He points to the ministry’s achievements in housing, including the construction of 22 new homes for Pacific families, the provision of healthy homes upgrades for 600 households, and assistance for 121 Pacific families in buying their first homes.

Reti highlights MPP’s ongoing work and partnerships, especially with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to reinforce New Zealand’s commitment to supporting Pacific communities, both locally and regionally.

“I think sending those signals back into the Pacific Islands that, ‘yep, we've got your back and yes, we are your partners going forward’ are really important in these really hot, contentious times, particularly in the Pacific region.”