Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
Minister for Pacific Peoples
24 February 2016

Government working for Pacific people

The number of Pacific people not in employment, education or training decreased last year, Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.

Latest labour market figures show that for the year to December 2015, the rate of Pacific people not in employment, education or training decreased from 17.9 per cent to 16.2 per cent.

“This signals that government initiatives such as Pasifika Trades Training and Count Me In are working well,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

The figures add to recent employment figures which showed the number of Pacific people in employment reached an all-time high in December 2015 to 130,700.

“The future for Pacific people in education, training and business is bright and our government is proud to be helping people aim high.”

More Pacific children are achieving better results in education from early childhood to NCEA.

Some 91.2 per cent of Pacific children are in early childhood education (ECE), up from 84 per cent in 2008.
Between 2008 and 2014 the number of Pacific 18-year-olds with NCEA Level 2 increased from 51 per cent to 75 per cent.
The number of Pacific students gaining tertiary qualifications rose by 75 per cent from 7400 in 2008 to 12,930 in 2014.

The government is encouraging Pacific young people to study science, technology, engineering and maths subjects that will lead to employment in high-growth industries.

“Programmes such as the Young Enterprise Scheme will also encourage Pacific people into professional and sustainable employment,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“The Trans-Pacific Partnership is going to open up a new world of opportunities for Pacific people in New Zealand. Existing businesses that employ Pacific people will be able to expand, there will be new business opportunities Pacific people can tap into, and new industries are going to emerge as a result of our economic growth,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

ENDS

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