Introduction

The Pacific population living in New Zealand is young and growing1. By 2025 Pacific peoples will make up eight percent of the New Zealand population compared with six percent today. 

Two-thirds of the Pacific peoples in New Zealand live in Auckland, and in 2006 they made up 13.7 percent of Auckland's regional population. At least one in four babies born now in Auckland is Pacific. These babies will grow up to represent a quarter of new job entrants in Auckland in fifteen to twenty years and by 2050 will be one of the largest consumer and voting groups in Auckland2.

The wellbeing of Pacific peoples and their families, as well as the New Zealand economy, will depend on them gaining employment in areas that will meet their aspirations and the national and international labour market requirements of the future.

Table 1: Composition of the New Zealand population 15 years and over by ethnic group
Ethnic group 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Pākehā 81% 79% 76% 74% 73% 71%
Māori 12% 12% 13% 13% 13% 14%
Pasifika 5% 6% 6% 7% 7% 8%
Asian 6% 9% 11% 12% 14% 15%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Source: http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/46677

Currently, Pacific peoples tend to be heavily represented in low-skilled, low-paid work. This can restrict their opportunities for realising their aspirations and potential. There is also a clear connection between low pay and poorer education, health and other social outcomes3. These impacts are highlighted in the Pacific Outcomes Framework below (Figure 1).

To ensure that Pacific peoples and communities can make the most of the opportunities available in the employment sector and wider society, both now and in the future, it is important that they pursue education and career opportunities that lead to high-skilled and high-paid work in areas of future demand.

If by 2021 Pacific peoples' wage incomes are similar to the incomes of non-Pacific people, the benefits to the New Zealand economy would be in the order of $4 to $5 billion in 2001 price terms4.

This report is intended to strengthen the knowledge available about the future employment opportunities and education pathways available for Pacific peoples that will meet New Zealand and international labour market needs of the future.

The report is set out in three main sections:

Methodology and data

This report is based on a 2009 report by the Department of Labour using forecasts from its Work Directions Branch and data from the 2006 census, provided by Statistics New Zealand. This report also draws on research reports and statistics from the Ministry of Education's Education Counts website at www.educationcounts.govt.nz.

 

 

1 Callister & Didham, 2008
2 Statistics New Zealand – 2006 Census data
http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/web/nzstories.nsf/092edeb76ed5aa6bcc256afe0081d84e/9407bfc87b838c6acc256b2500739e78?OpenDocument
3 Foley, 2005
4 Economic Participation Report, 2006

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