10:48 PM |
Hon Georgina
te Heuheu
Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
20 April 2009
Media Release
Minister meets Wellington's Pacific community
Representatives of Wellington's six main Pacific ethnicities are expected in Newtown tonight to meet Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu.
The majority of Pacific peoples living in Wellington live in Porirua (25%) followed by Lower Hutt (11%), Wellington City (5%), Upper Hutt (5%), Masterton (3%), Kapiti Coast, South Wairarapa and Carterton (2% respectively).
Wellington is home to the largest Tokelauan community in New Zealand (3,462) compared to Auckland (1,848).
The youthful Pacific population in New Zealand means the proportion of Pacific people in the region under 15 years of age is high at 31%. Mrs te Heuheu says this impacts on New Zealand's future economic growth and has repercussions for how well we prepare these youngsters for the job market.
'Earlier this year the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs held a Jobs Fono to discuss the economic downturn and find out exactly how it was affecting Pacific people. The ideas raised at the Fono were part of the conversation at the Prime Minister's Jobs Summit.
'A great deal of work is underway in education, training and trades which will be of keen interest to Pacific people.
Mrs te Heuheu says education is a big focus for the Government while education, jobs and a better life drew many Pacific families to New Zealand in the 1950s and the 1960s.
'We must ensure that every child can read, write and do maths. As a community we need to inspire our kids to achieve. Teaching them the basics is the first step,' she says.
'One of the top 20 ideas to come out of the Summit includes the creation of a seasonal work marketplace to remove barriers between employers and seasonal workers, many who travel from the Pacific. Ministers are now working on this idea.
Mrs te Heuheu says she is committed to ensuring that Pacific communities are well served and that their needs are considered and addressed. Input from tonight's gathering will help that process.
Media contact: Rose Hart, Press Secretary. 021 279 9878 or 04 8179878
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aotearoa, new zealand
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