The Green Party welcomes the Rainbow report released by Stats NZ today and calls for better support for takatāpui and Rainbow people, particularly our trans and non-binary whānau.

“One of the main insights from this report is that we need a dedicated Ministry for Rainbow Communities that would address the barriers that takatāpui and Rainbow people still face on a day-to-day basis,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Takatāpui and Rainbow Communities, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere.

“Every piece of research reveals more about the lives and experiences of Rainbow people.

“A key finding of the Gender and Sexual Identity in the Household Economic Survey is that Rainbow people are more likely to be highly educated yet they earn less income than the rest of the population. This is particularly so for trans and non-binary people.

“It also shows Rainbow people are more likely to be disabled and twice as likely to be reporting daily feelings of depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, such findings align with the research conducted in our communities, such as the Counting Ourselves and Prism reports.

“The combined Rainbow population could be as high as 15% when young people are included. This survey seriously undercounts the Rainbow population which it estimates at 4.4% and significantly higher for Māori at 5%. This is because it only covered people 18 years and over, not every Rainbow adult would have felt comfortable to answer and many would not recognise or identify with the terminology used.

“We need a Rainbow Ministry to grow the capacity of the public sector to support, empower, and resource our communities. Rainbow communities need a real voice in Government.

“We thank Statistics New Zealand for listening to community Rainbow leadership throughout this mahi,” says Dr. Kerekere.

© Scoop Media