A report on the state of Pasifika people says they are being left behind in New Zealand's economic recovery, Radio New Zealand reports.
The Salvation Army's annual state-of-the-nation report on Pasifika people, says low incomes for Pasifika, high unemployment in youth and their “mammoth” housing problems should all be major election issues this year.
One of the report's authors, Alan Johnson, said Pasifika had not shared in the country's economic progress of the past 18 months.
“For example income figures haven't really come around, employment fortunes haven't changed much and it's clear that Pacific people in particular are being marginalised by the recovery.”
Unemployment was virtually unchanged at 13 per cent, twice the national rate, he said.