Salvation Army social policy analyst Ana Ika says there are lots of positives in the new report, but several challenges remain. Photo: Salvation Army
The youth suicide rate for Pacific people in Aotearoa has halved in the past decade, while the number of young offenders has dropped by two thirds and the number of people in jobs has nearly doubled, according to a new report.
But the Salvation Army's State of Pacific Peoples report also reveals child poverty, housing affordability and educational achievement are still problems that are disproportionately affecting the community.
The report measured the social progress of Pacific communities across more than 50 "indicators" over the past decade, said Salvation Army social policy analyst Ana Ika.
There were a number of wins, she said.
The youth suicide rate has more than halved in that period, and the number of youth offenders has dropped by two-thirds.
The number of people employed has nearly doubled from 96,600 to 182,400 - during which time the working age population only increased 20 percent.
The employment rate increased from 58 percent to 70 percent, compared to the general population's increase from 68 percent to 72 percent - indicating the gap was closing, the report said.
Pacific people leaving prison were also less likely to be reimprisoned or reconvicted compared with the general population.
Recidivism rates for Pacific people had declined by 30 percent, while they dropped 19 percent in the general population.
Many of these success stories could be tracked back to government and community investment in those areas, Ika said.
For example, the biggest shift in Pacific youth suicide rates happened in 2013, when it dropped below the general population, she said.
"In 2013, there was a significant investment into Le Va, which is sort of a mental health provider for Pacific by the government that was able to bring about... targeted interventions for Pacific mental health."
But the community still faced many challenges, she said.
For example, since 2019 more than 5500 children across New Zealand had been lifted out of material hardship - but the number of Pacific children in material hardship increased by nearly 5000.
School attendance has declined by nearly 50 percent - by 2023, only 32 percent of Pacific students were at school more than 90 percent of term two, compared with nearly 50 percent of the general population.
Housing insecurity was also a "significant concern".
In high Pacific population areas like Cannons Creek North in Wellington, rents have surged by 110 percent over the past decade, making many private rentals unaffordable, the report said.
"Although these challenges are significant, they also present opportunities for real change," said Ika.
"With targeted investment in key areas like housing, education, gambling, workforce development as well as alcohol and harm minimisation, we can make lasting improvements for Pacific communities across Aotearoa."