Promoting Pasifika

Pasifika people make a positive contribution to New Zealand society and have potential to do more, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.

The minister was in Palmerston North yesterday to meet agencies working with Pasifika youth, and explore the ways in which communities and central government could work better together to advance Pasifika aspirations.

His emphasis was more about strengths than challenges.

Increasing prosperity, however Pacific people defined that word themselves, should come from a base where those people were confident in their culture and language and played an active role in the future of Aotearoa and the Pacific.

Pasifika people, many from mixed cultural backgrounds, were a fast-growing section of New Zealand communities, particularly in younger age groups and in the regions.

In Palmerston North, city council Pasifika liaison coordinator Rhia Taonui said the number of Pacific people was about 3800, or 4.7 per cent of the population.

‘‘It’s important we maintain our traditional values in whatever we do, so we can retain and pass on the wisdom of our matua, our elders,’’ she said.

Sio said this year’s ‘‘Wellbeing Budget’’ provided a range of financial support to improve Pacific people’s health and education, with some $130 million to be spent over four years.

He said a key priority was to lift both Ma¯ori and Pasifika incomes and skills.

Part of that drive was the recently announced $8.8m Tupu Aotearoa programme rolled out initially to support Pacific young people living in Manawatu¯ Whanganui, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

It was designed to empower people aged 15 to 39 to develop new life skills, kick-start their career prospects and earn a good living, as well as provide employers with the skilled and motivated talent pool they needed.

The scheme would benefit from a further $14.5m from the Provisional Growth Fund to extend Tupu Aotearoa to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.