Government targets spending, infrastructure for growing Pacific population

Aotearoa's population is continuing to diversify, the latest Census reveals, with Pacific peoples showing an increase of 16 per cent.

Wednesday's release of Statistics New Zealand's 2023 data showed record growth for Pacific communities in the South Island regions of Otago and Tasman.

But the data also revealed that while the country's population was growing and diversifying, it was ageing.

Watch Tala Tuala's interview on the Census 2023.

New Zealand’s population has grown 6.3 per cent with the oldest section in the North Island.

Since the 2018 Census, Aotearoa's population has grown by almost 300,000 people.

The latest results revealed that most people live in the North Island, but the population continues to age and diversify ethnically.

Pacific people are first when it comes to the growing population within the Otago region and second highest growing population in the Tasman region.

Surprised by the findings, Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti said the growth was encouraging.

“Clearly for young people, as part of the population growth. We're really encouraged to be supporting our Pacific people and young people with their ambitions and their endeavors.”

Pacific peoples make up 3.4 per cent of the total population within Otago which has increased by 35 per cent since the 2018 Census making them the highest growing in the region.

Following Otago is Tasman with Pacific people there making up 2.6 per cent of the total population - an increase of 75.3 per cent, and the second highest in the region.

Most Pacific people reside in Auckland, sitting at 16.6 per cent of the total population, an increase of 12.8 per cent and third highest when it comes to the growing population in the northern region.

Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti says the growth in Pacific population proved that better infrastructure was needed to support Pasifika.

Despite the population growth slowing to 6.8 per cent, which is down from the 10.8 per cent growth between 2013 and 2018, StatsNZ said New Zealand’s population continued to diversify.

The number of people with Māori descent is rapidly growing - close to one million - 12.5 per cent more than the 2018 Census.

“While people of European ethnicity made up the majority of the population in 2024, the ethnic make-up of the population continued to diversify.

“Māori, Asian, Pacific peoples and Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (MELAA) ethnic groups grew significantly faster than the European ethnic group.”

Reti said the growth proved that better infrastructure was needed to support Pacific people.

“I can ensure that this Budget will give a very effective spend for what the Ministry of Pacific Peoples has so that Pacific people will see tangible outcomes from the spend that we have. That's what I can commit to.

“All that talks is how do we get the infrastructure to follow them? How do we get the health services? How do we get the education? How do we get that to shape up so that they can achieve their maximum ambitions in life?

“How do we ensure that? By having really effective spending and by having targets and by really making sure that we identify what good outcomes are for Pacific people," Reti said.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis will deliver Budget 2024 on Thursday.