Aotearoa is a Pacific country. Our Government has a responsibility to support Pāsefika communities in Aotearoa, and to be a good neighbour to other nations in our region.
Too many people in our Pāsefika communities are held back by Aotearoa’s economic, education, welfare, and health systems. The Green Party acknowledges the hardships, inequities, and injustices faced by our Pāsefika communities, and knows that supporting all our young people to thrive means investing in them. The Green Party will work alongside Pāsefika communities to open up new opportunities while improving incomes, housing, education, and health outcomes.
The Green Party understands the importance of strengthening public health services within Pāsefika communities, increasing educational support, ending racial prejudices, and reforming the justice system so everyone can reach their potential.
The Green Party will:
- Ensure New Zealand’s Pāsefika history is taught in schools, by Pāsefika people wherever possible.
- Commit to climate action in Aotearoa to limit global warming to 1.5C so the effects of climate change on Pāsefika countries are minimised, and people can stay in their homelands.
- Ensure our immigration policy is welcoming to Pāsefika people displaced by climate change.
- Increase the capacity of the Ministry of Pacific Peoples to develop policy advice focused on long-term funding models and practices that enhance the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of Pāsefika communities.
- Support and strengthen the Pāsefika Education Plan and develop a national Pāsefika Education Strategy to help grow and retain teachers with diverse Pāsefika whakapapa.
- Reform teacher registration practices which penalise Pāsefika teachers who qualified in their home countries.
- Develop funding so more Pāsefika people can become healthcare workers; and encourage Pāsefika people to train in small business, art, IT, research and education.
Read more about our green vision for Aotearoa