My Perspective: Pacific unemployment rise demands bold solutions

The Government released its latest unemployment figures on Wednesday, the worst we've seen since 2020 during the height of the pandemic lockdowns.

While most headlines focused on the 5.2 per cent unemployment rate for April to June, and the 158,000 people actively looking for work, a few other figures stood out to me. The Pacific unemployment rate rose to 12.1 per cent.

This is our fastest-growing population in the country, and this should set alarm bells ringing for our decision makers about our current and developing workforce. In other figures, the percentage of those in full-time employment rose slightly, but part-time work took a hit.

Who tends to work part-time? Women, people caring for elderly or disabled whānau, those managing their own mental or physical health challenges, volunteers who give their time to community groups, sports teams or churches.

Another telling figure is the underutilisation rate, which climbed to 12.8 per cent. That means one in eight people who are unemployed or working part-time could be doing more if the opportunity were there.

This is a huge potential labour force that we're overlooking. Technology means we no longer need someone glued to a desk or stationed at a booth for eight hours to get work done. We have more flexibility now.

Watch Khalia’s Perspective on Facebook below.

Workplaces and bosses should be open to creative ways of outsourcing work or extending the responsibilities of current staff who are keen to take on more.

Could this be the solution for improving outcomes for our Pacific population, whose wage gap in 2024 widened to 17.2 per cent? I need to give a caveat here: working more is not always the answer.

New Zealand already has some of the lowest productivity rates among developed countries. We need to work smarter, not harder. We need to ensure that our Pacific workforce and women are getting the opportunities and pathways to get involved in the action.

The Pacific unemployment rate rose to 12.1 per cent. Photo/File

As local elections loom in October, where is the vision? Where is the rallying cry from aspiring leaders to make our cities places where people want to live, work and thrive? What realistic ideas are they bringing to bolster the job market, incentivise start-ups and innovation?

Where is the confidence and investment from the central government in education and innovation that will plant us firmly in the front seat of the world's leading industries? What a future that would be.

It starts with breathing life and money into our economy. As many are criticising the current state of affairs, we also need to be treading a path forward for our collective future.

Reimagining the job market to include those eager to contribute more seems like the obvious place to start.

That’s My Perspective.