Unemployment hits Pacific communities hard - Labour

The latest unemployment figures from Stats NZ paint a troubling picture for Pacific people across Aotearoa.

The national unemployment rate has risen to 4.8 per cent, meaning that 148,000 New Zealanders are out of work.

Labour MP Barbara Edmonds has expressed her concerns over the data implications, particularly for Pacific people.

“It’s really disappointing,” Edmonds told PMN News.

She explained that Pacific unemployment is now at 9.9 per cent, more than double the national average.

“It’s even worse for Pacific youth aged between 15 and 24, unemployment has soared to 24.4 per cent.

“That means one in four Pacific youth are unemployed, and that’s just not good.”

Edmonds said unemployment is now much worse for Pacific people at 9.9 per cent. Photo/supplied

Edmonds stressed the urgent need for government intervention to support Pacific communities and other vulnerable groups.

She noted that economic downturns require strong, targeted action, something she said the government has failed to deliver.

“We need programmes to help Pacific people, Māori and all New Zealanders get back into work faster. Because what the stats also show is that people are staying unemployed for longer.”

She says a contributing factor to rising unemployment among Pacific people is job losses in sectors where they are heavily represented, such as construction.

Edmonds pointed out that the construction industry has shed 12,000 jobs since the election in 2023, adding it’s partly because of the government’s cancellation of major infrastructure projects like hospitals and roads.

“The cuts in these sectors have a direct impact on our Pacific families, who are already feeling the brunt of economic pressure.”

Addressing the issue of Pacific youth unemployment, Edmonds emphasised the need for targeted interventions.

She mentioned Labour’s past initiatives, such as programmes funded through the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

He Poutama Rangatahi was established in 2018 as part of efforts to tackle youth unemployment in regions facing significant economic challenges. Photo/MUMA

These programmes focused on NEET youth (not in employment, education, or training), providing critical support to Pacific communities.

However, Edmonds pointed out that funding for these programmes has been reduced significantly.

“If a sector of your population has higher unemployment rates, you need to do targeted interventions to help lift their employment, and we’re not seeing that under this government,” she argued.

Looking ahead, Edmonds encouraged Pacific families to “stay strong”.

“My message is fa’amalosi, to be strong. We know that these are really tough times for our youth, for our Pacific families. My hope is, again, our job here in Parliament is to hold the government to account.”